


What Does He Have?

by TalkToMe



Category: Looney Tunes | Merrie Melodies
Genre: AU, Acting Group AU, Angst, Arguing, Baffy AU, Character Friendships, Childhood, Childhood Trauma, Crush, Crying, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Falling In Love, Feels, Fluff, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Implied Sexual Content, Looney Tunes References, M/M, Other, Secret Crush, Slice of Life, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing, Unrequited Love, Wholesome, character backstories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2019-11-14 15:11:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 39,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18054899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalkToMe/pseuds/TalkToMe
Summary: Daffy is an aspiring performer, but he is also- unfortunately- extremely envious. And one big name he just can't seem to shake his envy of is Bugs Bunny. When the man himself advertises auditions that'll give the winner a one way ticket to Warner Brothers, Daffy jumps at the chance to show him up... But things don't exactly go to plan.





	1. "...That I Don't?"

**“And** **_stay_ ** **out!”**

 

The set of doors flew open violently, as Daffy was thrown from the building, landing face first on the concrete. He shook his head, managing to push the pain to the back of his mind just long enough to scramble to his feet.

 

“But I don't understand!” he pleaded, dusting himself down. “I played the role perfectly!”

 

The man stood in the doorway crossed his arms, his eyes brimming with rage.

 

“If by 'perfectly' you mean paying _no mind_ to the characters personality, not sticking to the script in the _slightest_ , and having a _painfully_ boring stage presence, then yes, Mr Duck, you played the role _perfectly._ ”

 

Daffy rolled his eyes and crossed his own arms with a huff.

 

“It's not my fault the script sucked. It’s called ‘ad-libbing’, pal.” he muttered. The man's face grew an even deeper shade of red, as he pointed a finger in Daffy’s direction, barely missing his beak and prompting him to jump back in fear.

 

“I’ve had just about _enough_ of you. Now, _hear me_ when I say this, Duck-” The man growled, (although Daffy was certain people in the next town over could hear him.) “You don't deserve to be here. You are just plain **_talentless!_**  I never should've even _let_ you audition." The man straightened his back, looming over Daffy like a dark cloud. He gritted his teeth and looked down at him with malice in his eyes. Daffy gulped.

****

“B-but... Aw, come on, man. Surely you know how much this means to me..?”

 

The man spluttered darkly.

****

“It’s not as if it matters. Any half-decent director would cast a _lifeless mannequin_ before they cast you. At least the mannequin would be able to hold a pose.”

 

And without giving Daffy a chance to say anything else, the man disappeared back into the building, slamming the doors behind him.

****

Daffy paused for a second, letting everything that had just happened sink in. Then, his chest began filling with rage. He balled his fists and stamped his foot.

 

“Yeah? Well- I don't need you! Who would want to be a part of a low-budget amateur drama group, anyway? Half of you aren't even that good! Good luck with your mediocre play! I hope your parents enjoy watching-” Then, before he even had a chance to dodge, the doors swung open again, and a backpack hit Daffy full force in the chest, throwing him backwards. He collided with the concrete, feeling the wind get knocked from his body. “...it...” He wheezed.

 

Daffy paused, before letting out a deep and painful sigh. He hurt too much to attempt to stand up. For a while he lay there, his eyes closed, catching his breath and thinking.

 

He had worked so hard to get where he was.. When he had gotten the news that he had been accepted into McKimson Arts, the entire town surely heard his whoops of joy. _This.._ this was one of the _best_ drama groups in the area... and he had just gotten kicked out. He could practically _feel_ his future slipping through his fingers.

 

Maybe his teacher was right. Maybe he _was_ just talentless.

 

Daffy opened his eyes, making every effort not to cry. No more than a few seconds later, he felt a small splash on the tip of his beak. Then another, and another. Before Daffy knew it, it had started to rain- heavily. He sighed, harder this time, and slowly picked his sore body up from the ground. He slung his backpack over his shoulders, and began the painful walk home, cursing at himself for not bringing an umbrella.

 

While he walked, his mind began to wander. He thought of all the people who were further ahead than he was. The actors, the singers, the _performers_ . The people who had already reached... no... _surpassed_ their goals. The people who were sailing _so far_ amongst the stars, the earth was just a tiny speck... And Daffy was left there, alone, with no means of even getting off the ground.

 

Daffy had always had the same problem. It had been with him since he was a child. It had grown with him, twisting and transforming into a part of him.

 

Instead of seeing those people and being inspired... he saw them and became envious. He didn't want to look up to see them shining amongst the stars and _clap._ He didn't _want_ to applaud their achievements, not when he himself was so far behind. And whilst he would never in a _million years_ go out of his way to shoot down their rockets... there was always a part of him wishing they would run out of fuel.

It was an ugly feeling, an _awful_ feeling. Daffy didn't welcome it... but he didn't have a clue how to rid himself of it, either. It made his heart feel black and hazy, like it was filled with air that would choke anyone who breathed it in.

 

And through the galaxy of movie stars and professional singers, with Hollywood deals and sold-out concerts, and _hoards_ of adoring fans, there was one actor Daffy just _couldn't_ shake his envy of...

Bugs Bunny.

****

_‘Bleh…’_ Just _thinking_ of that name put a bad taste in Daffy’s mouth.

****

If every other actor on earth was merely a star, Bugs Bunny was a supernova. Daffy could hardly even leave his house without hearing his damn name.

 

_“Bugs Bunny is the most successful actor in all of Warner Brothers history! Probably in the history of the world!”_

_“Bugs Bunny is soooo cute!! Who do you think he'll end up marrying??”_

_“Did you hear Bugs Bunny was offered the lead role in this Hollywood movie???”_

_“He’s not just good at acting! He can sing too! And he’s so handsome!”_

_“He’s so perfect! He basically has no faults!!!”_

 

It was always “Bugs Bunny” this and “Bugs Bunny” that. People were _obsessed_ with that damn rabbit. At least, Daffy assumed he was a rabbit. I mean, he had to be, right? Truth be told, although Bugs was this adored celebrity who nobody seemed to be able to stop talking about… Daffy had never actually _seen_ the guy. He made sure to avoid everything and anything associated with him at all costs. Maybe out of spite, maybe out of fear... Out of fear he would become even _more_ envious.

 

Daffy didn't exactly _like_ that he had gotten into a habit of doing this, but it _was_ admittedly quite impressive. If he wasn't good at anything else, at least he could say he was good at avoiding people he disliked... Even though that probably wasn't something to be proud of.

Daffy groaned and rubbed the bridge of his beak, sending a trail of rainwater down either side of his mouth. His body shook. He was cold and sore. He wanted to be hugged, and yet, it felt as if he would yell if anyone so much as touched him.

 

The dark clouds over his head couldn't even begin to match the ones in his mind.

 

❃❃❃

 

When he was no more than a few minutes away from his house, Daffy caught sight of a familiar place. A cosy, comforting little place. A coffee shop- The Jackrabbit. The warm orange glow from inside illuminated the wet concrete, and the sign above the door squeaked and rattled in the wind. The building stood out amongst it’s bleak surroundings, and for a second it seemed like the only inviting place in the world. Daffy headed straight for the door. He didn't want to go home and be alone with his thoughts-  not yet at least.

 

And this was one of the only places he had positive relationships... well, if a guy like Daffy was worthy of positive relationships.

 

As he stepped through the door, a pleasant rush of warm air hit him, and the smell of coffee filled his senses, enveloping him, distracting him from his feelings for just a moment. As he looked around, Daffy appeared to be the only person there. He stood on the doormat, rain dripping from his feathers, when saw a head pop out from behind the counter, and a short man in a cowboy hat began to laugh.

 

“Did ya go swimmin'?” the man asked, his moustache twitching heartily. Daffy sniffed, and narrowed his eyebrows.

“I forgot my umbrella.”

 

The man, still chuckling, gestured for Daffy to sit down, and threw him a tea towel from underneath the counter. Daffy rubbed the towel over his wet feathers, and quickly chose a table next to a radiator.

 

“The usual?” the man asked, already setting out a cup and saucer. His red hair stuffed messily under his hat bore a striking similarity to the strawberry syrup standing next to the milk frother. Though, the colour was the only thing the man and the syrup had in common, as the bottle was much more tall and slender than he was.

“Yeah, thanks.” Daffy replied shortly, sitting down with a heavy sigh. He leaned back in his chair, draping the towel around his neck. The two men didn't say anything to each other for a while, but neither one really seemed to mind. Listening to the whirring and bubbling sounds of the different coffee making machines, combined with the heavy rain outside, was somewhat relaxing to the both of them.

 

Just then, Daffy turned his head. It was only for a moment, but it was long enough for him to spot something- A newspaper on the next table over, with a very intriguing headline.

 

**_“Exclusive interview with Bugs Bunny! Page 5.”_ **

 

Daffy scoffed, but, despite himself, reached over and grabbed the newspaper to take a closer look. His hands shook as he turned the page. He was so focused he didn't hear the talking going on behind the counter, or the footsteps approaching his table.

 

_Page 3... Page 4..._

 

Just as Daffy was about to turn the next page, there came a loud clatter, as coffee exploded all over the table, and a blonde rabbit fell to her knees with a startled squeal. It was the waitress- she had slipped on a puddle of rainwater. It all happened so quickly, but Daffy still managed to jump back in time, avoiding getting any of the coffee on himself. The same, however, couldn't be said for the newspaper, which was now completely soaked and stained, distorting the article- and what looked like would've been a picture… A picture of Bugs Bunny.

The waitress, somewhat shaken from the ordeal, sprang to her feet, covering her mouth.

****

“Oh my god- I'm so sorry! You didn't get burnt did you?”

“Ugh...” Daffy clenched his jaw, an unpleasant feeling bubbling in his stomach, but he was just too tired to have another outburst. He huffed. “No, I didn't... just... I'm fine.”

 

The waitress- whose name was Lola- and the barista- Yosemite Sam- were two people Daffy would consider good acquaintances. There was a big part of him that was unsure about whether or not he could consider them friends... And he would never let anyone know it, but in the far reaches of his heart and mind, that fact saddened him. He had never spent time with either of them outside of the coffee shop, but their company was nice. They kept Daffy from feeling totally isolated from society. They made him feel as if he wasn't entirely alone- if only just a little bit. Perhaps that’s what made it so bittersweet- it was as if their relationship didn’t exist outside of the shop. As if The Jackrabbit was a safe haven, yet a prison, and no one dared speak about the people inside- the people who were kind to Daffy. Maybe Daffy deserved for it to be this way..

 

“H-Here, I'll get you another one-” Lola stammered, all the while trying to wipe up the spilt coffee.

“Already on it, Lola. Here- take the mop.” Yosemite chimed, pulling out a mop and bucket from behind the counter. Daffy stood, unsure of how to help, as Lola scrambled to clean up the mess, and Yosemite began pouring a fresh cup of coffee.

 

As Lola began mopping the floor rigorously, Daffy leaned over the table, trying to read the distorted words on the newspaper page. He could only make out a part of the bold headline.

 

**_“Bugs Bunny's acting group is quite possibly the best of their kind, and in this interview, Mr Bunny reveals some of the secrets of his success!”_ **

 

Daffy stood up straight again just as Lola grabbed the wet newspaper from the table. She held it over the mop bucket and headed for the trash, glancing at it herself before throwing it away.

 

“You were reading about Bugs Bunny?” She asked, a smile spreading across her face.

“Yeah, I guess...” Daffy trailed off as he sat back down. A concerned look crossed Lola's face, and she quickly pulled up a chair next to him.

“Why the sad face, Daffy?”

 

Daffy stayed quiet, but Lola wasn't entirely clueless. She knew about his bad luck with acting classes, and today just so happened to be the day his rehearsals were held.

 

“I'm guessing today's rehearsal didn't go very well..?”

Daffy gave a harsh laugh.

 

“You can say that again. I got kicked out.”

At that, Lola's mouth fell open.

 

“Oh no... Jeez.. Daffy, I'm sorry.” And she truly was.

“That sure is a shame, sonny.” Yosemite piped up, bringing Daffy his drink and wiping over the table once more before setting it down. There was a silence between the three of them, before Daffy let out a loud groan, resting his head in his hands.

“I don't get it. What does he have that I don't?”

“Who?” A puzzled Lola asked.

_“Bugs Bunny!”_ Daffy yelled, feeling his voice waver.

 

“Oh, I don't know... everythin'?” Yosemite chimed. Lola and Daffy both looked up at the man sitting across from them, as he began to count on his fingers. “Looks, money, talent, friends...”

Lola shot the man a piercing look.

 

“You're not helping, Sam.” She hissed. Yosemite gave a small laugh.

 

“I'm just tryin to tell the truth.” He said, holding up his hands. Then, he gave Daffy a uncharacteristically soft look. “Listen kid, I know ya wanna be a successful actor with lotsa money and fans. An' I'm sure yer great at what ya do- but ya can't possibly expect to compare yerself to someone like Bugs Bunny.” Daffy said nothing, only looking down at his cup. Yosemite gave a short sigh. “Y'know..." He began. "When I was yer age, I wanted nothing more than to be a famous rodeo star. It was my biggest dream.” Yosemite jumped up onto the next table, took the pistols from the holsters round his waist (customers often debated whether they were real or not), and struck a pose. “I'd be just like one of them famous guys. Every single audience member would be hollerin my name!”

 

At that, Daffy looked up at the man and slammed his fist down on the table.

 

“So then _why are you here? Why_ aren't _you a rodeo star?”_

 

Yosemite blinked, letting his arms fall to his sides.

 

“...because it was just a dream.” He said flatly, a hint of confusion hidden in his voice. Daffy paused, before sighing quietly and slumping back into his chair. Yosemite hopped down from the table and patted Daffy on the shoulder. “Look, Daffy. All I'm sayin is, don't beat yerself up because ya can't be better than some big star. Not all of us are _meant_ to be big stars.”

Daffy didn't move, only glancing at the man as he returned to the counter. Lola frowned, before scooting closer. She rested her arms on the table, her head right next to Daffy's.

 

“I think you have what it takes to make it big.” She said with a soft smile.

“...thanks Lola.” Daffy mumbled, placing his hands around his coffee cup, feeling the warmth soak into his hands. The pair were quiet for a second.

“Y'know... I think Bugs Bunny is amazing.” Lola uttered. Daffy side-eyed her, taking a long sip of coffee.

“Yeah..?” He replied, faking interest. “I'll let you know if I ever meet him.”

At that, Lola gasped.

“Really?” She beamed, sitting up and smiling widely.

“Sure.” Daffy gave a dry laugh; Lola looked just about ready to burst from excitement. Well, at least someone had been cheered up today.

“Thank you, Daffy!” She exclaimed, jumping from her seat. Then, she suddenly seemed to have become aware of herself. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “Um... I have to go help Sam clean up now. We're gonna be closing soon.”

 

Daffy stayed almost motionless, swirling the coffee around in his cup.

 

“Go for it.” He mumbled.

“See ya, Daffy.” Lola grinned, and she pranced away from the table, disappearing into the storage room. Yosemite Sam didn't even _notice_ the interaction- he had his back turned, distracted by a smudge on the otherwise shiny metal of the Espresso maker. Daffy turned, looking up through the window. It was almost pitch black outside; the sky was starting to look more and more like thick ink by the second. And the rain was coming down even harder.

 

_Crap_. He’d forgotten to ask if he could borrow an umbrella.

 

He tensed, standing up quickly- but when he turned, he saw no one. Now Yosemite Sam had also disappeared somewhere. Daffy was alone again- an all too familiar situation. He thought about searching for Lola and Yosemite, but stopped himself. He didn't want to bother them anymore than he already had.

He simply placed the money for his coffee on the table, and left without another sound.

 

❃❃❃

 

When Daffy stepped through his front door, he felt even worse than when he was outside in the rain. The house was cold and dark, and overwhelmingly uninviting. The moonlight seeped in through the windows and made the house look hazy and grey, like it was filled with smoke. But it was the only place Daffy could stay, unless he wanted to sleep on the floor of a coffee shop.

He dropped his backpack on the floor in the hall and stumbled into his bedroom. He collapsed onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He sighed, unable to fight the clutches of sleep.

As he began to drift off, he recalled his conversation with Lola..

 

**_“I'll let you know if I ever meet him...”_ **

 

Daffy's own words played over and over in his head. He let out a low groan.

****

He knew he'd never meet the rabbit.

And he wasn't about to go out of his way to make sure that he did.


	2. Knowing What To Think

For the next few days, Daffy didn't leave his house. He spent his time lying on the couch, watching tv and eating food he wasn't sure was actually in date. But he didn't care. To be perfectly honest, he didn't really care about anything. It felt like every ounce of energy had been drained from him. Sleeping didn't help. Eating didn't help. Coffee didn't help, not even a little bit.

 

He felt pathetic, but he felt too empty to cry or even complain. He just felt bitter. To his very core. Like he had a bitter heart, a bitter soul. He hated it, but what could he do?

 

He lay there, unable to pay attention to the tv screen. As he did, his mind began to wander, dragging back unwanted words from the day he'd gotten kicked from his acting class.

 

“You don't deserve to be here. You are just plain _talentless_ _!”_

“Some of us just aren't _meant_ to be big stars.”

“I think **Bugs Bunny** is amazing.”

 

Daffy groaned and squeezed his eyes shut tightly, hiding his face in his arm. He had lost track of exactly how many days it had been, but he felt as if all of this had just happened 5 minutes ago.

 

 _“That damn rabbit. He's despicable...”_ He grumbled. _“I'll show him... I'll damn well show him.”_

 

Although Daffy didn't know exactly how he would do that.

 

His spiralling thoughts were only interrupted by an intense rumbling coming from his stomach. He clamped his hand over it tightly and sighed. Daffy hadn't eaten anything at all that day. He just hadn't had the energy to make anything. And he wasn't sure if he even had any food _left_ in the house. He hadn't checked- he didn't care to. And since he hadn't been outside for some time, he hadn't been shopping for anything.

Reluctantly, Daffy rose to his feet, and carried his tired body to the kitchen. He checked the refrigerator, the freezer, the cupboards- nothing. He didn't even have anything to drink besides tap water. Daffy frowned, feeling his stomach growl once more. He sighed, forced to face the fact that he would have to leave the house.

 

❃❃❃

 

Daffy felt exposed as he walked towards the store. It was approaching the end of September, and the sky was overcast, but the sun made it a blinding white colour. And it was cold- _extremely_ cold. Daffy couldn't decide which was colder- outside of his house, or inside. He owned a few warm clothes, and he cursed at himself for not putting any of them on before he left. The thought of the cosy scarves and hoodies hung in his wardrobe made him frown, and clutch his arms even tighter.

But as the wind whipped harshly at his body, he decided that he still didn't care. A low sigh escaped his mouth, and he felt his shoulders droop. So what if it was cold? Perhaps he'd get sick. Then he could isolate himself even more. And although there was a part of him that didn't want that- a part of him that didn't _want_ to be alone- he ignored it.

 

To get to the store, Daffy had to pass The Jackrabbit. He frowned. He knew there was a chance Lola and Yosemite Sam would see him walking past and want to talk to him; want to know where he had been the past few days. And though a hot cup of coffee sounded great, the thought of that much interaction made him feel even more tired.

As he was about to round the corner of The Jackrabbit, Daffy held his breath. But something was wrong. Looking through the window, he saw no customers, and- even more bizarrely- no staff.

 

Daffy blinked. Surely it was too early for them to have gone home? As he was about to reach for his phone to check the time, Daffy remembered that he had left it back at his house. Actually, he hadn't checked it at all since the mishap with his old acting teacher.

Daffy wondered if maybe something was wrong. He swallowed, quickening his pace. He rounded the corner and rushed to check the opening and closing times on the door. Although Daffy wasn't sure what day it was, he was certain it wasn't late enough for them to be closed.

 

Just then, something caught Daffy's attention. From somewhere further up the street, there came what sounded like intense chattering and giggling. Curious, he made his way towards the sound. Soon, he came across a _huge_ crowd of people- more than should really be able to fit on a single sidewalk. Some were fanning themselves, others were jumping up and down with pure joy. Daffy couldn't help but wonder what on Earth had made these people so happy.

 

Then, Daffy spotted something in the crowd- a familiar pair of ears, and a tuft of blonde hair. And almost as quickly as he had spotted them, the figure turned and gave a loud gasp.

 

_“DAFFY!”_

 

It was Lola. She gave Daffy a bright, beaming smile, and waved her arm dramatically, gesturing for him to come closer. She pushed her way through the crowd, until the two of them were face to face.

 

 _“Where have you been?”_ She asked, her eyes locked onto him, paying no mind to the people around her.

Daffy held his breath, trying to think of a suitable explanation... or a suitable excuse.

 

“Um- I was just- doing stuff at home.” Was what he managed to blurt out.

Lola raised an eyebrow. She gave Daffy a concerned look.

 

“Both me and Sam texted you to see if you were okay. Did you lose your phone?”

Hearing this made Daffy's chest grow tight.

 

Lola and Yosemite Sam..? Texting _Daffy_ … to check up on him? Daffy almost didn't believe it.

It wasn't just because of who Lola and Yosemite were... It was because of who _Daffy_ was.

 

And from what he could remember, Daffy had left The Jackrabbit on a seemingly good note...

Finished the conversation, placed the money on the table, and left...

 

What reason did they have to not just leave it at that? To let Daffy go on, without a second thought..?

 

“No, I..." Daffy began, finding it harder than he should to form coherent sentences. "I just haven't been checking it.”

 

Maybe... Maybe he didn't _have_ to be a second thought.

 

Lola gave a short, somewhat impatient sigh. But then, it appeared as if she had suddenly remembered something important. Her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands excitedly.

 

“Oh, hey! Daffy, come on, you've gotta look at this!”

Lola reached forward, grabbed Daffy's arm, and began pulling him through the crowd.

 

“Look at what-? What's going on-?” He asked, barely able to keep up, tripping over his own feet.

When they got to the front of the crowd, Daffy saw Yosemite Sam standing there too.

 

As he looked him up and down, Daffy found it hard to image _him-_ with his tough as nails exterior and often brutal words- taking time out of his day to send _anyone_ a heartfelt text. Although, they _did_ have that conversation the last time they saw each other...

Daffy had spent so much time recently with the same horrible thoughts invading his mind, but now... he didn't know _what_ to think.

 

As Yosemite caught sight of Daffy, his eyes widened, and he raised a hand.

 

“Hey, Daffy! Fancy seein you! Where in tarnation have ya _been?”_

Daffy gave an awkward smile, and Lola waved her hand, as if to say _“You can talk about it later.”_  Then, Daffy raised an eyebrow at the both them.

 

“So... what's got everyone so excited?”

Lola and Yosemite smirked at each other knowingly. Then, Yosemite gave a gesture towards the wall in front of them.

 

“ _This.”_ He said triumphantly.

 

When Daffy turned to look, he finally discovered what all the fuss was about.

 

Stuck to the wall was a poster- but not just any poster.

 

It was black with swirly silver writing, decorated with stars, and had seven silver silhouettes- a rooster, a pig, a mouse, a coyote, a bird with a long neck, a skunk... and a rabbit.

 

And written above them in bold text were the words:

 

**“Show what you've got to the best of the best!**

**COME AND AUDITION!”**

 

Daffy blinked, holding his breath.

 

“What's this all about?” He asked. Lola gave a wide smile, and pointed to the smaller text at the bottom of the poster.

 

“It's Bugs Bunny's acting group!” she exclaimed. “They're coming _here!_ All the way from Warner Brothers! And they're gonna be holding auditions to find new members!”

“You... You'd get to be part of the group..?” Daffy couldn't prevent himself from stuttering.

“Yeah!” Lola continued. “And whoever gets in is gonna get to work with them to put on a showcase at the end of the year!”

"Perfect timing, wouldn't ya say?" Yosemite chuckled.

"It's like fate or something, right, Daffy?" Lola beamed.

 

 

Daffy's heart could've burst right then and there.

 

This was it. This was his chance. His chance to show up that damn rabbit and prove how great he could be. _He_ would be the one shining amongst the stars, and Bugs Bunny would be stuck on the ground, with nothing but a crashed rocket. In that moment, Daffy felt like his future was practically being handed to him, tied up with a bow.

 

He stayed quiet for a second, before a devilish grin spread across his face.

 

Now, he had no issues with what to think.

He looked at Lola and Yosemite Sam intently.

 

“When and where are these auditions?”

  
❃❃❃

 

 

The first thing Daffy did when he got home was rush to his phone. He didn't even take the time to put away his groceries, instead hastily throwing the bags down in the hall.

Daffy was surprised to find that his phone wasn't dead. As the screen illuminated his face, his eyes fell on the date and time.

 

**6:41 PM**

**Sunday 24 September**

 

Daffy thought back. Then he remembered- the day he had been kicked out of the acting class was last Friday. The thought made him hold his breath. That meant he hadn't spoken to anyone or even left his house in over a week.

He moved his eyes to the texts from Lola and Yosemite, clenching his teeth.

 

**Lola, Friday**

Hey Daffy, how are you feeling? You left without

saying goodbye so I was wonderi...

 

**Lola, Saturday**

Daffy, are you okay? I just wanted to check on you

cause you seemed pretty upse...

 

**Yosemite Sam, Sunday**

Hi kid, I was wondering how you were holding up?

 

**Lola, Monday**

Both me and Sam are worried about you. Please pick up

 

**Yosemite Sam, Tuesday**

Pretty soon I'll forget how to make your coffee the way you like it.

Where are you, kid?

 

**Lola, Wednesday**

Why aren't you replying? Is everything okay?

 

**Lola, Thursday**

The shop feels so empty without you visting, y'know?

Please reply if you ca...

 

Daffy shut his screen off quickly, unable to read any more. His mind began to race. He had never realised he meant that much to them... Sure, Lola was loud and Yosemite could be brutal, but they weren't bad people. They were the first two people to ever make this much of a fuss out of not seeing him. Even his parents never...

 

Daffy hastily turned his screen back on, trying to divert himself from anymore bad thoughts. He took another glance at his lockscreen. When he saw the number of missed calls from Lola and Yosemite, he swallowed, confused as to how he hadn't noticed his phone ringing. Or maybe he had, and he just hadn't had the energy to answer it.

 

But Daffy didn't want to think about it. He wasn't tired anymore. In fact, this was the most motivated he had felt in a long time.

 

A combination of confidence and nerves rushed through his body as he stared at the piece of paper in his hand. Lola had explained that in order for him to audition he needed to call the number at the bottom of the poster. He had written it down hastily and almost rushed home to call it right then, only to be stopped by a loud growl from his stomach.

 

His heart pounded as he scrambled to type in the number. He held his phone to his ear and waited. And waited and waited. The phone kept ringing, and Daffy couldn't stop his mind from wandering.

 

He wondered who he would be talking to. They'd need to put his name down on some list, he supposed. Perhaps he'd need to talk to someone at Warner Brothers. Or maybe it'd be someone actually from the acting group. Daffy couldn't help but wonder what it'd be like if Bugs Bunny was the one he ended up needing to talk to. Oh, all the things he'd say to him if he just had the chance. Daffy tried to imagine what he might sound like. He found himself _wanting_ to hear his voice. His stuck up, arrogant, over-confident voice...

 

“Hola, you've reached line 2. This is Speedy Gonzales.”

 

Daffy breathed out. The rabbit had eluded him once again. Speedy Gonzales, huh? Daffy knew that was the mouse on the poster. He had seen him on movie posters, and he was often chosen to sponsor products.

 

For some reason, Daffy didn't feel intimidated by Speedy. Nor did he really feel intimidated by the others on the poster. He had actually recognised a lot of them just from their silhouettes. The rooster, for example, was Foghorn Leghorn, a hearty, upbeat man who had starred in a _lot_ of popular cartoons. The skunk was Pepe Le Pew, a heartthrob in the eyes of many people. He was stylish, suave, and amazingly confident... but Daffy didn't see them as much of a threat. These actors were popular, sure, and Daffy would be lying if he said he wasn't also jealous of them, but they were nowhere _near_ as talked about or obsessed over as Bugs. Maybe _that_ was why Daffy wasn't all that scared of them... maybe they just felt more relatable..? Daffy couldn't see himself _ever_ relating to Bugs Bunny. No way in hell. Not in a million years. They were just _too_ different..

 

“Uh... hello?” Daffy replied quietly, acting as if his thoughts _weren't_ just racing. He heard a huge sigh of relief on the other end of the line.

“Oh, Gracias al cielo! Not another screaming fan. You don't know _how_ many people we've had to hang up on."

Then, in the background of the call, Daffy began to hear chattering.

 

"I second, I say, I second that!" Came a strong voice.

"I am just pleased to know zat my charm works~" A sultry tone added.

"I-I am concerned about what our fans _think_ of me..." Someone else stammered shyly.

 

"Ehh, guys? I wont be able to _sleep_ tonight from some of the things I've heard today." Came a fourth and final voice, finishing with a low giggle. And even though it was muffled and distant, this voice did something to Daffy's chest; something no other voice had ever done before. He found himself... wanting to hear more of it. It was one of those voices you could listen to and have it turn the worst day into the best one... Like the audible embodiment of sunshine. For a moment, something seemed to shift. Daffy felt.. okay. No, _better_ than okay..

 

"Dios Mio, you guys!" Speedy replied, unable to stifle his laughter. "Get back to answering your phones!" And at that, Daffy heard the chattering grow much quieter, and chairs being scooted back to desks. Then, the line fell silent, except for Speedy's voice. "Sorry about that." He continued, but Daffy thought he had no reason to apologise. If delaying the call meant he'd get to hear the strangers voice again, he would've gladly waited for hours. "You are calling to register for an audition, yes?”

“Uh- yes-” Daffy replied, being shook from his daze. He felt disappointment wash over him as he was dragged back into the real world.

 

“Okay, what is your name?” Speedy asked.

“D-Daffy Duck.”

Daffy heard typing in the background of the call.

 

“Okay. And are you auditioning alone?“

“Yes.”

There was typing again, and Daffy's heart began to beat faster. He half expected Speedy to tell him he wasn't allowed to audition- that he didn't _deserve_ to audition. He held his breath, waiting...

 

“Alright, Señor Duck,” Speedy chimed. “You are all registered. Auditions start at 10 AM on October 1st at the Jones Theatre, 119 Clampett Drive. Once you get there speak to someone at the reception and get them to mark you as present. Your name'll get called and you'll come through to the stage.”

Daffy almost couldn't believe what he heard. He felt dizzy, like he was in a dream. But it was real. He was going to audition, and nobody could stop him. In that moment he could practically _feel_ the ground of Warner Brothers property under his feet, _hear_ the fans screaming his name... and only try to _picture_ what Bugs Bunny's face would look like when _he_ became the company's new star.

 

“Do you have any questions?” Speedy asked sweetly.

Daffy swallowed. He had _so many_ questions, but no idea how to put them into words.

 

“Um... no, it's fine.”

“Well, I look forward to seeing you audition! Buena suerte!”

And the line went silent. Daffy was about to hang up, when-

 

“Oh, wait!” Speedy blurted, catching Daffy off guard. “One more thing! What are you planning on performing?”

 

Daffy bit his lip.

 

“Performing..?”

He had been so focused on the idea of showing up Bugs that he hadn't given much thought to what he was actually going to audition with.

 

“Yes, if you're going to be singing, we would like you to put the backing track on a USB. Is that okay?”

 

Daffy fell silent. What did he _want_ to audition with..? Whatever would make him look the best, he supposed. Whatever made him look better than Bugs. After all, that was what this was all about, right..?

 

“Hello, Señor Duck?”

“S-sorry." Daffy stammered. "I was just thinking about it- What I'm going to perform-”

“Ah! I am hoping it's something good!” Speedy exclaimed. Daffy gave a smirk, that, if anyone had been around to see, would've looked as if he was up to no good.

 

“It will be.”

At that, Speedy chuckled.

 

"Confidence! I like it!" He beamed.

Daffy could only muster a weak laugh in response.

 

"Well... thank you."

"No problem! See you on Sunday, Señor Duck!"

And then, the line fell silent again.

 

Daffy stayed for a while, staring at the dark screen of his phone, before letting out a loud sigh.

That was it. All he could do now was wait until Sunday.

 

Just then, a loud growl broke the silence. Daffy clamped his hand over his stomach. Of course, he remembered- he hadn't had the chance to eat yet. Daffy couldn't help but laugh. As he retrieved the discarded bags from the hall and made his way into the kitchen, his mind wandered back to the stranger's voice. It was still clear in his head, and Daffy felt that same feeling surge through him. He smiled, and then scoffed.

 

"Whoever that voice belongs to," He said to himself, "must be a pretty amazing guy."


	3. The Grey Rabbit

It was 9 AM on October 1st, and Daffy was wide awake. Today was the day. He'd been practicing all week.

 

He'd almost entirely replaced his daily coffee with mixtures of tea and honey for his throat. He had been singing every chance he got, too- In the shower, while cooking, even under his breath while walking outside.

Lola and Yosemite Sam had begged him to show them his progress (Well, Lola begged. Yosemite just showed mild interest, if even that), and they both clapped and cheered when he was done (Yosemite to a lesser extent, of course). Daffy began to feel more and more confident with each passing day. So when he awoke on the day of the auditions, he felt just about ready to perform in front of thousands.

 

He could barely stop singing long enough to eat his breakfast. He wanted to make sure he sounded great- as great as he possibly could. He wondered who would be judging the auditions. Would it be all of the people he'd seen on the poster? Or just a select few? _Oh, how great it would be-_ Daffy thought- _if Bugs Bunny was one of the judges._ He felt devilish excitement surge through his body at the very idea. Then, Daffy remembered the voice of the stranger from that Sunday night. He grew weak from the very memory, and couldn't help but smile as he toyed with the idea that _he_ might be one of the judges too. To hear that voice in real life would surely turn this already good day into a great one.

 

Daffy set off towards the Jones Theatre relatively early. He knew exactly where to go. He'd been there a few times to watch shows on class trips when he was still in school, but he hadn't stepped foot inside the building in years. He barely had enough money for food, let alone theatre tickets...

But Daffy was excited. He'd get to see the theatre again, and perform on the stage he'd seen so many shows take place. His phone kept buzzing and buzzing with good luck messages from Lola and Yosemite as he made his way down the street, and he couldn't help but smile. The sun seemed to shine brighter than it had in quite a while.

 

But arriving early proved pointless.

 

Daffy could see the theatre from down the street as he approached. It was a grand building, all white marble and with great arched windows lining the walls. At night they would be illuminated by bright white lights, which always made the building seem even more spectacular. But as Daffy drew closer to the theatre, he was quickly greeted by a swarm of people right outside the doors, all chattering loudly. Daffy struggled to squeeze past, catching a few harsh words. As he looked over the sea of people, he spotted a film crew. A TV reporter was smiling widely, clutching a microphone and addressing the camera in an overly happy tone.

 

“I'm here at the Jones Theatre, and as you can see, it is a _very_ exciting day!”

 

At this, someone in the crowd let out a loud whoop, prompting the people around him to laugh. Even the reporter chuckled. He then strutted over to someone in the crowd and held the microphone up to them, asking them if _they_ were going to be auditioning today. Daffy huffed and, before the TV reporter could latch onto _him_ , swiftly made his way inside the theatre. He'd always wanted to be on TV, but not like that.

 

Inside the theatre may have been the fanciest place Daffy had ever seen. The lobby was huge- even bigger than how he remembered it- with arched doorways and a deep red carpet, which Daffy felt much too common to be standing on. There were dozens of chairs lined up against the walls, and a receptionist sat with tired eyes behind her desk.

The lobby was also packed full of people. Shaky teenagers anxiously looking over pieces of paper, giggling groups of young girls, children running around excitedly, and burly men sticking out like sore thumbs. People from all walks of life were at the theatre, all there for the same reason. Daffy swallowed, tightening his grip on the USB in his hand. He looked around. Who was the best actor here? How about the best singer, or dancer? Daffy's hands shook as he thought about how much better than him everyone might be. The worlds next big star could be stood right next to him, and he'd never even know. Just then, he heard someone clear their throat impatiently. Daffy looked up, and saw the receptionist staring at him over her glasses.

 

“You here to audition?” She asked, her voice a tired drawl. It took Daffy a second to respond.

“Uh, um... yes.” He replied, making his way over to the desk. The receptionist picked up a clipboard and tapped her pen on it.

“Name?”

“Daffy Duck..” Daffy said sheepishly.

The woman flipped through sheets of paper, all the while with a blank expression on her face. Something about her made Daffy uncomfortable.

 

“Ah, there y'are.” The woman said after a while. She quickly began scribbling something down, and then handed Daffy a piece of paper with his name on it. “Make sure y'keep that sticker on at all times. Now go wait somewhere and y'name'll get called when they're ready for 'ya.”

Daffy peeled the sticker off and stuck it to his chest. He glanced at the woman behind the desk, and gave an uncomfortable grin before turning to walk away.

“Thanks...”

And out of the corner of his eye, he saw the receptionist's mouth curl into a smile.

 

“Good luck.” She chimed.

 

❃❃❃

 

Daffy made his way over to a free chair and sat down. He breathed out heavily, wanting to take some time to relax before his name got called. This past week he had been so busy preparing for his audition, he was thankful to be able to just sit down for a while. Granted, the intense chattering around him made relaxation somewhat difficult.

 

Sat on the chair next to him was someone very short, with a helmet and a green skirt. He was swinging his legs and tapping his fingers incessantly on the edges of his seat. Daffy glanced at him, catching his attention. His head twitched, as if he was about to make eye contact, but then he quickly looked away. Daffy shrugged it off, looking off in the opposite direction. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the figure next to him tense, before he suddenly spoke.

 

“Hello Earthling.”

Daffy thought this a strange way to greet someone, but he didn't really mind. He'd certainly had ruder interactions with people.

 

“Hi.” Daffy replied.

“My name's Marvin.” The figure shifted in his seat, so he was facing Daffy more. Daffy glanced at the sticker on his shirt. _'Marvin the Martian'_. He blinked.

“You're a Martian?” Daffy asked, his curiosity piqued. Marvin clapped his hands together.

“Indeed! From the planet Mars! I have been living on your planet for a while, though. And what is your name?”

“It's Daffy Duck.” He pointed to his own sticker.

“Ooh!” Marvin replied. “What an interesting Earth name!”

 

Daffy gave a small smile. Well at least he knew not everyone here was scary.

 

❃❃❃

 

Daffy sat and waited. He waited for what felt like hours, watching as more and more people began to fill up the lobby. While it was true that he had wanted some time to sit before his audition, now he was getting impatient. He hadn't heard a single person get called to the stage. The sea of people was suffocating, and Daffy felt like he barely had 2 inches of personal space.

 

“This is ridiculous.” He muttered, crossing his arms. “The auditions were supposed to start at 10, and it's closer to 11.”

Marvin glanced at Daffy from the corner of his eye.

“If it's true that Bugs Bunny and his acting group are judging the auditions... Maybe they're just busy? They _are_ celebrities after all.” he suggested. Daffy scoffed.

“Celebrities or not, if it _is_ them, they're terrible with time.” Daffy drummed his fingers on his arm for a second, thinking. Then, he stood up. “I'm gonna do something about this.”

 

And with that, he turned and stormed off.

 

“I'll let you know if your name gets called!” Marvin shouted, but Daffy was already too far away to hear.

 

Daffy made his way through the crowd, looking for somewhere, anywhere, where the judges might be. As he pushed his way through the crowd, he saw a set of huge double doors, but people were leaning against them, they must've been locked. Then, he spotted another door. This one was smaller, tucked away in the corner of the room, with a big, red sign that said **_“Staff Only”_ **. Daffy grinned. Carefully, he made his way towards the door. He waited for a while, making sure that nobody would see him, and then slipped inside.

 

He stood on the other side for a while, just listening to the muffled crowd. He took a deep breath and looked around. Before him was a small room, with what looked like a closet for cleaning supplies, and a set of stairs. Daffy thought that there might be a break room or something up there; and if the judges were anywhere, that's where they'd be.

 

Daffy moved towards the stairs and began to walk up, trying as hard as he could to prevent the steps from creaking. When he got to the top, he didn't take the time to look in front of him- he just kept walking. Instead, he looked at the walls surrounding him. They were an elegant cream colour, and decorated with pictures of shows that had been performed at the theatre in the past. He recognised many of them from his childhood.

 

For a second, Daffy looked behind him- worried that someone might have noticed him sneaking around- when something forced him to stop abruptly. He had bumped into something- something tall and feathery.

 

 _“Whoa!”_ He heard a strong voice yell out. Daffy jumped back, shaking his head. He looked up as the figure stood before him turned around. It was a rooster, and he had an intensely stern look on his face. He glared at Daffy, towering over him. Daffy recognised this guy- It was Foghorn Leghorn. “Now look, I say, look here, boy!" He said sharply. "What are _you_ doing up here?”

 

Daffy held up his hands, shaking.

 

“Uh-um... I was, uh...” At first he couldn't think of what to say. He considered backing down, apologising and walking away. But something in him made his tone change. He frowned and crossed his arms. “I was coming to find the judges! They're late, y'know.” He grumbled. Foghorn narrowed his eyebrows.

“Now boy, you better, I say, you better watch it!”

 

Daffy was about to reply- about to shout back- as much as he was worried doing so would get him in even more trouble. He took a deep breath and clenched his fists, when-

 

“Eh... what's up, Fog?”

 

Suddenly, the tension was broken by a voice- a familiar voice. Daffy froze, and the two men both turned to look at who the voice came from.

 

Stood just behind Foghorn was a grey rabbit. His body seemed stiff, and he had his head cocked curiously to one side. Clasped tightly in one hand was a cup, with fluffy steam billowing from the top. With his other hand, he gripped his elbow, pulling it towards his body. He appeared utterly baffled by the situation in front of him.

 

_...Wait... a rabbit?_

 

All of a sudden, Foghorn stood up straight, and his fierce frown quickly changed to a smile.

 

“Oh, hey Bugs! I was just havin a little... altercation with someone.”

 

_Wait... is he-?_

 

A chuckle escaped the rabbits mouth, and he relaxed his posture, letting his free hand fall to his side.

 

“With who?” He asked playfully, bringing the cup to his mouth. Daffy gulped.

“This guy.”

 

'Fog' crossed his arms and took a huge step to the side, so that Daffy and the rabbit were now face to face.

 

The pair's eyes met, and for a little while, time seemed to slow down.

A few seconds passed before the rabbit took the cup away from his mouth and gave Daffy a warm smile.

He felt his entire body tense.

 

_This was..._

 

“Are you... Bugs... _Bunny_?” Daffy couldn't stop his voice from shaking now. The rabbit grinned widely and tossed his head, a new wave of confidence seeming to wash over him.

“The one and only.” He beamed.

 

This... this was Bugs Bunny? _This guy?_ _He_ was the one who had made Daffy spend so much of his time aggravated? _He_ was the stranger who owned the voice that made him weak at the knees? He wasn't tall or muscly, he didn't appear arrogant or stuck up... He was slender, his fur made him look like he had this constant fluffy glow, and he just about reached up to Daffy's beak if you didn't count the ears..

 

 _'Shit...'_ Daffy thought. _'He's... cute..'_

 

_Wait- what?_

 

Daffy had to fight the urge to shake his head. He blinked, bringing his hand to his forehead. His racing thoughts were only halted by Foghorn's stern voice.

 

“Yeah. I caught him sneaking around up here.” he grumbled. At that, Daffy tensed. He imagined getting kicked out for trespassing, being told he couldn't audition, being banned from the theatre-

“You were sneaking around?” Bugs asked with a laugh, a laugh that snapped Daffy out of his negative daze. He mustered his own nervous chuckle in return.

“Um... I wouldn't say _sneaking around_...” he paused for a second. “I was just... trying to find the judges. People are... getting impatient.”

 

Daffy didn't want to lie, but he didn't see any other way to get out of the situation. He didn't want to admit that _he_ was the one who had gotten impatient and acted impulsively... Especially not in front of-

 

“Oh yeah, I guess we _have_ been taking a while...” Bugs fidgeted, and turned to Foghorn with a concerned look. “We should probably start the auditions. Are Pepe and Speedy ready, do ya know?”

Foghorn, who had previously had his eyebrow raised in Daffy's direction, turned to Bugs with a reassuring grin.

“Yep, we're all set if you are.”

Bugs' eyes lit up, and he turned to Daffy again.

 

“Well, y'wont have to wait much longer...” His sentence trailed off, and he titled his head. His eyes fell to the sticker on Daffy's chest. “..Daffy." Daffy's heart began to beat faster. “Daffy...” Bugs repeated to himself softly. He smiled again. “That's a nice name.” Daffy felt his chest tighten. It felt like Bugs was doing everything on purpose.. “Well, you can go back down to the lobby now, Daffy. The auditions'll start in a couple of minutes.”

Foghorn Leghorn turned to Daffy and pointed a finger in his direction.

“You better, I say, you better give us a good performance to make up for trespassing!” He scolded, but Daffy could detect a hint of jest in his voice. Bugs chuckled at the man's warning- and seeing him laugh sent wave of something through Daffy's body.

“Heh... I'll try.” He said.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Daffy." Bugs smiled. "See ya on the stage.”

 

And with that, both he and Foghorn turned to walk away..

 

“Hey, wait-!” Daffy blurted, catching the pair off-guard. They turned back around, their eyebrows raised. “Um... Bugs- Are _you_ one of the judges?”

Bugs began to grin, wider and brighter this time.

 

“Yeah, I am!”

Daffy held his breath, and Foghorn gave a chuckle.

 

“'Course he is! I couldn't, I say, I couldn't think of anyone _better_ to judge these here auditions!” He exclaimed, patting the rabbit on the head, prompting a fond eye roll.

“Warner Brothers said they wanted my 'expert opinion'.” Bugs continued, gesturing air quotes dramatically. Then, he gave Daffy a warm look. “Now get yourself back in the lobby so we can get the auditions started!” Daffy nodded, and was about to turn to walk back down the corridor, when- “Break a leg, Daffy.” Bugs chimed. “That's theatre talk for 'good luck'.”

 

And as Daffy began walking back towards the stairs, his heart felt just about ready to leap out of his chest.

 


	4. The Auditions Begin

As he made his way back down the stairs, Daffy clamped his hand over his chest, like he was trying to  _force_ his heart rate to return to normal. His free hand trembled as he reached to open the door. His shaky hands betrayed him as he tried to silently push it shut, and he ended up slamming it, prompting a few people to turn and look in confusion. He chuckled nervously and rushed back to his seat, avoiding all possible eye contact.

 

When he reached his chair he was surprised to find it still empty. There were a lot of people standing around, and he thought it would've been gone as soon as he had left. Just then, Marvin, who was still in his own chair, lifted his head and gave Daffy a small wave. He supposed he must've saved his seat for him.

 

“That was quick.” Marvin said cheerily. “Did you find the judges?”  But Daffy said nothing. He just slumped down in his chair, bringing his hand to his head again. As he stared down at the floor, Marvin looked at him, puzzled. “What's wrong with you?" He asked. "You look completely shell shocked.”

At that moment, a tortoise who had been walking past gave the pair a disapproving look.

 

Daffy raked his fingers through the feathers on his head and fixed his posture a little, but his eyes never moved from the floor.

 

“I... found the judges.”

Marvin's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands.

 

“Oooh! That's great! So I suppose the auditions will begin soon?”

Daffy was about to reply, when he heard the sound of speakers crackling, followed by a loud voice.

 

“Okay everybody, we've just been informed that the auditions are all set to start!” Came the surprisingly cheerful voice of the receptionist. The crowded lobby erupted in whoops and cheers. “We ask you kindly to be respectful of others and be as quiet as possible when people are auditioning. You may wait backstage if you like, but please be aware that it is dark, and to not bring any food or drink with you.” The receptionist went on to explain what to do in the case of a fire alarm going off. A few people in the crowd sighed. Fire alarms  _ never _ went off in these situations, and this safety warning was prolonging the suspense of who would be the first person to audition. “And now,” the receptionist went on. “Could Pete Puma come to the stage, please? That's Pete Puma, to the stage, please.”

 

The crowds heads turned as a yellow puma got up from his seat.

 

“Oh boy!” Pete said to himself, as he made his way to a door with a sign stuck to it that read **"Backstage, THIS WAY"**. Daffy hadn't seen this door when he had been searching for one earlier. Pete grinned open-mouthed at everyone as he passed, even directing it towards Daffy and Marvin for a second. As he opened the door, he turned and gave the crowd a wink, before disappearing into the dark.

 

The crowd stared at the closed door for a second, before everyone returned to what they had been doing, only a little quieter this time.

 

“Well, that answers my question.” Marvin said with a small laugh.

 

Daffy breathed out. He sat upright in his chair and looked around at the crowd. He wondered who would be called to the stage next. Would it be the group of mice in the corner enthusiastically strumming guitars? Or the scary looking bull who had a surprisingly soft singing voice?

Or maybe  _ Daffy _ would be the next person to be called. The very thought made his stomach flip. Why had he suddenly been overwhelmed with stage fright? He  _ loved _ showing off what he could do in front of an audience. He supposed maybe that was the problem. What could he do  _ really? _ He knew that there were much more talented people stood around him. What if he got on stage and embarrassed himself? What if his voice cracked or he forgot the lyrics of his song? The judges were from  _ Warner Brothers. _ Daffy would look so  _ pathetic _ in front of them.

 

_ 'What if I completely screw up in front of them?'  _ He thought. _ 'In front of...' _

 

The image of Bugs flashed in Daffy's mind again- How his ears bounced when he moved, how amazing his smile was, how soft his fur looked...

 

Daffy shook his head, willing the images to disappear. He didn't even notice Marvin's growing look of concern, or the figure standing in front of him.

 

“Is everything okay, dear?”

 

Both Daffy and Marvin turned to look at the figure. It was an elderly lady, with a little yellow bird perched on her shoulder. She gave them both an extremely soft smile.

 

“You look like something is troubling you!” The bird added.

Daffy glanced at the both of them, and shook his head again.

“Uh... no- I'm- I'm okay. Just... worried about my audition.”

The lady gave him a look of understanding.

“Oh, I am too.” Marvin chimed. Daffy turned to look at him. “But you're going to do great! I just know it!”

The lady and the yellow bird grinned.

“He's right, dear. I'm sure you'll do wonderfully.”

 

Daffy swallowed, and gave all three of them a smile back. While their kind words  _ did _ make him feel a little better, he wished he could just say what was actually on his mind..

****

The lady, who told Daffy and Marvin to just call her Granny, and the bird, who's name was Tweety, sat down with them. They talked for a while, about things like their hobbies and the weather. Granny had pulled out a pack of biscuits and a flask of tea, along with some plastic cups, and the four of them had enjoyed them while chatting. Daffy and Marvin found out that Tweety tended to pronounce 'L's and 'R's with 'W' sounds. The two of them couldn't help but smile when he spoke.

 

“So will  _ you _ be auditioning today, Granny?” Marvin asked, somehow sipping his tea, much to the confusion of everyone else. Granny gave a hearty laugh, and Tweety had to flap his wings to avoid falling off her shoulder.

“I suppose you could say that, dear! I won't be singing or dancing- although I  _ can _ do a mean foxtrot. No no, I'm more so here for my two boys.” She went on to tickle Tweety under the chin. “I'll be playing piano alongside my Tweety Bird. And then...”

Granny's sentence trailed off, as she looked around, scratching her head. “Oh, blast! Tweety, have you seen Sylvester?”

“'Not seen him since we got here.” Tweety replied. “Do you suppose he's become a scaredy cat?”

 

Granny tutted and rolled her eyes. She sighed loudly.

 

“I do hope he's okay.” She turned to Daffy and Marvin again. “He gets stage fright too. He's probably hiding somewhere.” The pair glanced around the room, trying find someone who looked like a 'Sylvester'. “If either of you see a black and white cat, please can you tell me?”

Daffy and Marvin nodded.

“He's got a  _ HUUUUUGE _ red nose!” Tweety added, much to the disapproval of Granny.

 

Just then, the backstage door swung open, and Pete Puma appeared from behind it. A couple of people rushed over and began asking him how it went, what he auditioned with, what the judges were like.

 

_ “Did you see Bugs Bunny?” _ A girl asked excitedly. Hearing that name made Daffy's heart skip a beat. He scowled, as if scolding his own chest. He looked past Pete, directly at the door.

“Uh....” Pete took a few seconds to respond properly. “...Yep! He's in there! There was also a rooster, a skunk and a mouse!”

 

The small group around him erupted in giggles, and Pete himself began to laugh (if only he knew what was funny).

Just then, another crackle came from the speakers, and the receptionist's voice filled the room.

 

“Okay, can we have Beaky Buzzard to the stage? That's Beaky Buzzard, to the stage, please.”

 

Pete and the group around him moved to the side, as a vulture approached the door. He chuckled as he opened it, and there was something about the look in his droopy eyes that Daffy didn't trust.

Daffy and Marvin continued talking to Granny and Tweety, as more and more people got called to the stage.

 

“Felicity Ferret, to the stage please.”

“Please can Jenna Giraffe come to the stage?”

“Can we have Bubble and Squeak please?”

“Hippety Hopper, please come through to the stage.”

 

Daffy grew more and more anxious as each person got called. He could barely concentrate on the conversation he was meant to be having. He wished there was a way he could know what was going on through that door. What was going through the judges heads- what was going through Bugs Bunny's head...

 

❃❃❃

 

“Wow! That was great, Dale!”

 

The four judges all clapped, as a goat stood in the middle of the stage gave a wide grin. He placed the microphone back in its stand and happily skipped offstage. The judges were all finishing off writing notes down, when one of them gave a loud sigh.

 

“Zis is going better zan I thought it would!” The skunk exclaimed, rocking back in his chair and placing his hands behind his head. “Excellent judgement on where to hold these auditions, my friend.” He smiled at the rooster sitting a seat away from him.

“Si, Señor! I agree with Pepe.” The mouse stood on the table between them added.

“Why, thank ya, boys! But you know, I wouldn't, I say, I wouldn't have chosen this place if it wasn't for Bugs.”

The rabbit sat at the end of the table gave a small smile, waving away the praise.

“Oh, come on. I had nothing to do with it.” He paused, and glanced down. “But... I  _ am _ really glad we chose to do it here.”

 

Foghorn, Pepe and Speedy all shared a look. Foghorn scooted his chair, and leaned in closer to Bugs.

 

“Mhmm? Say, it ain't because of that duck you have a crush on, is it?”

Bugs' face rapidly began to flush, and he covered his eyes with his hands.

“I-I do  _ not!” _ The sudden change in attitude made the trio next to him erupt with laughter. “I-I don't even know him! How am I going to have a crush on him?”

 

At that, Pepe stood up and walked over to the flustered rabbit. He leaned confidently on the back of his chair.

 

“Trust me, mon ami, I am an expert on 'l'amour', and let me just say, it is written all over your face.”

Bugs grumbled and rested his head on the table.

“It's true, Señor Bunny.” Speedy continued, dashing over to where his head was placed. “Your face is red.”

“As red as a fresh rose.” Pepe added.

“It's red because you're embarrassing me!” Bugs exclaimed, but that was only half true. At that, Foghorn gently pushed Pepe back to his seat.

“Okay you two, settle down now.” Foghorn patted Bugs on the shoulder, and Pepe and Speedy shared a glance. “Let's just get back to these here auditions.”

A smirk spread across Pepe's face, and he gave Bugs a wink.

“Let me know if you need any dating advice.”

Bugs scowled at the remark, but the redness of his cheeks ruined any effect it might've had.

****

After that, the auditions continued. The sheer variety of people performing in front of them made the judges quickly forget about the whole exchange.

 

There was a frog with a top hat and a cane, a small owl in a nice jacket, and a group of wolves who specialised in opera. There was a Chicken Hawk who sung death metal and scared Foghorn, and a tortoise who sung a creepy ballad and scared everybody. There was a pair of gophers who sung a love song, which would've been cute, had they not been so  _ eerily  _ in sync. There was a strange creature called Taz who recited his own poetry, leaving the judges teary eyed. A group of Speedy's cousins had turned up to audition, and Speedy sat there the entire time completely embarrassed. There was also a child called Gossamer, who's mother already worked for Warner Brothers. He explained he just wanted to perform for the people he looked up to, and the judges told him he was brimming with potential.

Barely over an hour into the auditions, the stage had already been filled with people from all walks of life.

 

As the judges finished clapping and taking notes after another audition, Foghorn picked up his clipboard to see who's name was next on the list. Everyone's names had been written down after they called the number written on the posters around town. It seemed easier to do it like that than in alphabetical order. And doing it this way also meant they wouldn't get any complaints from any zebras living in the area.

Foghorn scanned the page, and when he found the next name, his eyes lit up. He grinned in Bugs' direction, and handed him the clipboard, careful as to not let Speedy or Pepe see. When Bugs saw the name on the page, his eyes widened, and he hid his face behind the clipboard, blood racing to his cheeks.

 

❃❃❃

 

**“Can Daffy Duck come through to the stage, please? That's Daffy Duck to the stage, please.”**

 

In that moment, Daffy's heart skipped several beats.

 

He bit his lip, glancing nervously at the people around him. A few pairs of eyes were already locked onto him, seeing as he was, of course, a duck (He was also the only one with 'Daffy' on the sticker on his chest. It wasn't exactly a common name.) Then, Daffy's eyes moved to Marvin, Granny and Tweety. They were all giving him bright, beaming smiles. Granny patted him on the shoulder.

 

“You can do it, dear!”

 

A new look of determination spread across Daffy's face. He stood up proudly, clenching his fists. Even more people were staring at him now, but it didn't faze him at all. Before he headed towards the stage, he turned around one last time.

The trio sat down all raised their hands, showing that their fingers were crossed.

 

“We're rooting for you, Daffy!”

“Good luck, Ducky!”

 

And with that, Daffy turned again, and headed proudly towards the backstage door. He smiled to himself, trying his best to build up more confidence. His hand shook as he reached for the door handle, but he gripped it tightly, feeling his nerves subside.

As he opened the door, he looked back to his seat, and saw the trio sat there giving him thumbs up. He smiled again, and just like that, disappeared into the dark, pulling the door behind him.

 

_ 'You're supposed to say 'break a leg'.' _ He thought, as the door clicked shut.

 

❃❃❃

 

Granny gave a sigh, and turned to Marvin with a soft look.

 

“I do hope he'll be okay.”

“Oh, I'm sure he will.”

 

Then, a look of surpri se crossed Granny's face, and she gave an bashful smile.

 

“Oh! Excuse me dear, I'm going to have to just pop to the bathroom."

"I need to go as well!" Tweety added.

"You will you be okay on your own, dear, won't you?”

Marvin smiled (as well as someone without a mouth  _ can _ smile), and gave a small wave.

“Oh, I'll be fine, don't worry!” he beamed.

“Alright then!”

 

Granny stood up, laughing at the regular stiffness of her back, and headed towards the bathroom, Tweety happily perched on her shoulder.

When she was out of sight, Marvin turned his attention to the floor, and began swinging his legs again. He adjusted his helmet, going over the lyrics of his [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC3kc0AIqgw&list=PLAIzWRHwrqWmY4O-pplQv7Olv0HUGc8SG&index=3&t=0s) in his head.

 

It was a song that meant a lot to him, and there weren't enough words to describe how much he was looking forward to singing it. Today was going so much better than he had expected it to... He didn't feel _ half _ as anxious as he had on his way to the theatre, and he had even made some new friends. He was proud of himself for getting this far, and he couldn't help but flap his hands excitedly.

 

But Marvin didn't get to feel proud for very long.

 

In the corner of the room stood a gang of dogs, in stuffy leather jackets, with tattoos inked onto their fur and piercings scattered all over their faces. They had been eyeing him up for a while, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. They chuckled evilly amongst themselves as they sauntered over to where the Martian was sat.

 

Marvin only saw a shadow fall over him, before lifting his head and finding himself face to face with the biggest dog. He had menacing yellow eyes and teeth the size of daggers sticking out of the corners of his mouth.

Marvin swallowed, and raised one hand in a sorry attempt at a wave.

 

“H-hello, Earthling. May I help you?”


	5. Daffy’s Audition

The door clicked shut, and as the sounds of the crowd faded away, Daffy found himself in a dimly lit corridor. He blinked. It had appeared much darker when he saw other people coming in and out.

The corridor turned into an L at one end, and there was a black door parallel to the one he had just walked through. There were people dotted sparsely along the corridor, some leaning against the walls, others sat on the floor. A few of them turned their heads to look at who had arrived, which made Daffy tense up. But he stood his ground. He headed for the black door, keeping his head held high.

 

When Daffy opened the door he was immediately faced with blinding darkness. He stretched out his hands, expecting to trip over something he couldn't see.

 

Eventually, Daffy's eyes adjusted to the darkness. The backstage area was cold, and the air was dry. On the floor lay dozens of wires, snaking around poles and attached to machines that resembled speakers. In the blanket of darkness he could see the vague shape of curtains, and a small triangle of light leaking through them. Around him were more people, less than in the corridor. None of them turned to look at Daffy as he passed them; their eyes instead fixated forwards in anxious anticipation. Stood at the entrance to the stage was a tall, intimidating man in a suit. Daffy assumed he was some kind of security.

 

When he was no more than a few feet away from the opening in the curtains, Daffy spotted something- or _someone_ \- from the corner of his eye. Peeking out from behind one of the speakers was a black and white cat. He had his hands pulled right up to his face, and stared at Daffy apprehensively. He couldn't read the sticker on his chest, but even in the darkness he could see the cat's red nose. He opened his mouth- but quickly closed it. He decided he would wait until after his audition to try to talk to him..

 

Daffy held his breath, placed his hand on the curtain, and pulled it aside. The change in lighting was disorientating, and he had to raise his arm to shade his eyes. As he stepped onto the stage, he could hear what sounded like someone mumbling something teasingly, and the _'bonk'_ sound of somebody being hit on the head. Daffy's heart began to beat faster. It didn't take long for his eyes to adjust.

 

Just in front of the stage, on the same level as the seats, was a desk, with four people sitting behind it. At one end there was a skunk, rubbing his head, and a mouse, looking somewhat disappointed. Daffy recognised them as Pepe Le Pew and Speedy Gonzales. They nodded at him.

 

“Bonjour.”

“Hola, Señor Duck.”

“We have heard all about _you_.”

 

And at the other end of the desk was the pair he had bumped into earlier. Foghorn Leghorn (who was busy shaking his head in Pepe's direction)- and Bugs Bunny.

 

And maybe it was just a trick of the light, but Daffy could've swore he saw a glint in his eyes.

 

“Hi-!" Bugs couldn't restrain the excitable greeting, and as soon as it had left his mouth, he felt his face grow hot from embarrassment. He was quick to compose himself. "Uh- I mean- What's up, duck?”

For a second, Daffy could only muster a shaky laugh. He swallowed, gripping the microphone stand tightly.

“Hey-” was all he could manage in response.

The trio next to Bugs all smiled. Pepe and Speedy seemed much more smug, and Daffy quickly grew confused as to why. They hadn't been there when he had acted so awkward talking to Bugs earlier- why were they acting like they knew something?

“So, we meet again.” Foghorn gave a hearty laugh. “What're ya gonna be performin, boy?”

“Um... I'm gonna be singing.” Daffy remembered the USB in his hand, and held it up. “You- you need this, right?”

Bugs nodded, and gestured to the laptop on the desk in front of him.

“Yeah, just pass it to me.”

 

Daffy held his breath, releasing his grip on the microphone, and made his way down the stage steps. As he drew closer to the desk, another security guard, that had been previously concealed in the shadows, tightened his crossed arms, an simple action that made Daffy uneasy. Nevertheless, Bugs smiled and held out his hand. When Daffy placed the USB into his palm, their hands brushed, and the two of them quickly looked away from each other.

 

 _'What the f... is this even real? I thought this stuff only happened in cheesy movies.'_ Daffy thought. _'Ugh.. no. Nothing's up. I'm just overthinking something simple...'_

 

He contemplated saying something, but instead he just turned stiffly and headed back to his position on the stage. Bugs could barely fit the USB into the port with how much his hands were trembling, and he was glad Daffy had his back turned. He took a deep breath and looked up, just as Daffy reached the microphone stand. He smiled softly, and Daffy ran his hand over his head, trying to make sure his feathers were neat.

 

_'Not like it matters...'_

 

Pepe caught sight this and shot Daffy a smug look, prompting an eye roll. Daffy assumed he was judging his style or something- Pepe was always on shampoo and perfume commercials, and his meticulous grooming always showed. Daffy was glad Bugs was distracted by the laptop in that moment.

 

Just then, Bugs looked up at Daffy again, and his demeanour quickly changed from flustered to excitable.

 

“Okay Daffy, whenever you're ready!” He said cheerily.

“Remember, I say, remember what I said about giving us a good performance, boy!” Foghorn added.

Daffy swallowed, and gave the judges a nod. A new air of professionalism took them over, and they all leaned forward in quiet anticipation.

The music started up from somewhere offstage, and Daffy felt his stomach drop. He took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and readied his voice.

 

As soon as the lyrics left Daffy's mouth, he saw the eyes of the judges light up, and he felt his chest swell with confidence.

 

For a second, his eyes fell on Bugs. At that very moment, he rested his cheek on his hand, all the while staring at Daffy with a dreamy look in his eyes, and Daffy could do nothing to stop his voice from wavering.

 

[❃](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku9jb1i9Y6U)

 

When Daffy was finished, the four judges exploded in applause- the loudest of which came from Bugs. He stood up from his chair, practically beaming.

 

“That was...” he laughed, his eyes beginning to sparkle again. “Amazing, Daffy!”

Daffy stared at him, unable to respond, a smile creeping into the corner of his mouth. Then, he heard a low laugh come from Pepe's direction.

“Enthusiastic, eh, mon ami?”

 

At that, Bugs' hands came to a halt. His eye twitched, and he sunk back into his chair, embarrassment spreading across his face. Foghorn placed a hand on Bugs' back, shaking his head.

“Well, that was even better than I expected, son! You've got real talent!” He exclaimed.

“Si!” Speedy added. “Very well done!”

“Indeed. You have a certain... _je ne sais quoi._ And I mean zat in ze best way!” Pepe continued, dropping the teasing tone in his voice.

 

Daffy's smile had now spread into a beaming grin. Pride filled his chest. He had impressed them! Impressed...

His gaze fell on Bugs again just as he looked up, shielding his lower face with his hands.

 

“Y-yeah. What they said.”

 

Daffy blinked. Why did he appear so flustered all of a sudden?

...Could it be that he was having second thoughts about the compliments he had given him?

 

Maybe.. maybe _all_ of the judges felt that way. Maybe they all secretly _hated_ him, and _that's_ why they had been acting so smug. Maybe Bugs was flustered out of second-hand embarrassment...

That could very well be the case... but when Daffy looked at Bugs and saw the look of adorable sincerity in his eyes, he wasn't so sure.

 

Daffy's conflicting thoughts forced a blank expression onto his face. He stretched his mouth into a smile, and placed the microphone back in it's stand. He stood awkwardly on the stage for a moment or two.

 

“Th-thank you.” And with that, he turned and headed towards the curtain. Bugs' hands dropped from his face, and he opened his mouth to speak- but Daffy had already disappeared backstage.

 

The same shell-shocked look from earlier was plastered on Daffy's face. He stood in the dark, staring blankly towards the curtain. He didn't even notice the figure creeping up to his side shyly. The same black and white cat from before was now standing beside Daffy, gripping the end of his tail in his hands.

 

“Is it bad?” He asked.

Daffy didn't even turn to look at him.

“No...” he paused, still staring blankly ahead. “Uh.. good luck with yours.” and with that, Daffy turned, and headed for the black door.

“Thanks...” the cat replied. Just then, they both heard the sound of Foghorn's voice, coming from somewhere behind the curtain.

 

“Is there a Sylvester back there? Sylvester Pussycat?”

 

Sylvester gulped, freezing in place. Daffy stopped in his tracks. There was silence for a while.

 

“Your family is rooting for you.” Daffy uttered without turning around. As Daffy pushed opened the door, Sylvester held his breath, and then he was alone again.

 

His body shook. He felt as if he couldn't possibly move from where he was stood. After a few long seconds, he heard the sound of someone sitting down in a chair heavily.

 

“Nope? Okay...” the persons voice trailed off, and something clicked in Sylvester's mind. He dashed forward, pushing his way through the curtain.

“I-I'm here! N-Not in the lobby! It's me! Sylvester Pussycat!” He gestured awkwardly to the sticker on his chest.

 

Pepe Le Pew, who had his legs propped up on the desk and his hands behind his head, turned to look at the figure on the stage.

 

His eyes widened, and his arms fell to his sides. Whatever the other judges may have been saying seemed muffled. Sylvester hadn't noticed him, currently too busy fiddling with the microphone.

Pepe stood up, sending his chair backwards with extreme force, and slammed his hands down on the table.

 

 ** _“You're in!”_   **He exclaimed, pointing at a quite startled Sylvester. He jumped backwards, raising an eyebrow.

 

“E-excuse me?”

“Pepe, he hasn't even started his audition yet...” Bugs uttered, also considerably taken aback.

“Bugs, my friend, I think I now understand your concept of 'love at first sight'.”

 

Bugs gave a defeated grumble, and laid his head down hard on the desk. Pepe lowered his hand, pushing his weight forwards and staring at Sylvester with a new sultry look in his eyes.

 

“Eyy, kitty... if you agree to be in zis show, maybe we could share a dressing room...”

Sylvester blinked, an embarrassed blush taking over his face. At that, Speedy jumped up from the table and pushed Pepe back into his seat.

“Sit yourself _down_ , Señor Skunk.” He turned to Sylvester. “Please continue, Señor Pussycat.”

 

Sylvester could only muster a confused and somewhat uncomfortable laugh.

 

❃❃❃

 

Daffy felt almost relieved as he stepped back out into the crowded lobby. No one ran up to talk to him- they had stopped doing that after the 10th or so person. He looked around and found his seat in no time. It was empty- and so were the two seats either side of it. No Granny, no Tweety and no Marvin.

Daffy cocked his head. That was odd... Where could they have gone? He looked around, scanning the sea of people. Just then, he spotted a familiar figure. Stood outside of the theatre, leaning with his back against one of the tall arched windows, was Marvin. He had his head down, and appeared to be staring at the floor.

 

 _'What's he doing?'_ Daffy wondered. Curiously, he made his way to the theatre doors, and pushed his way outside. When Marvin noticed him approaching, he quickly turned his head.

 

“Hey, Marvin.” Daffy piped up, waving at him.

“Oh... hello, Daffy.”

Marvin didn't look up, even when Daffy was right in front of him.

“What're ya standing out here for?” Daffy asked. “You're gonna miss 'em calling your name.”

Marvin shuffled his feet, hiding his hands behind his back.

“Um... about that, actually... I'm... not auditioning anymore...”

 

Daffy blinked, a look of utter confusion crossing his face. He knelt down, trying to look at Marvin more clearly. He only needed a quick glimpse of his face to see the tear stains on his cheeks. Daffy's mouth fell open.

 

“Hey... what's wrong? Why are crying?”

Marvin quickly covered his lower face with his hand.

“I'm not.” he muttered.

Daffy raised an eyebrow, and gently pushed the side of Marvin's helmet, so they were at least face to face (if not eye to eye).

“What happened?” Daffy asked, his concern too genuine to hide.

 

Marvin glanced at him, and gave a heavy sigh.

 

“Well... after you got called to audition, Granny left to go to the bathroom, so I was by myself. Then... these dogs came and... tried to pick a fight with me.”

Daffy held his breath, looking at Marvin's face, trying to find any scratches or bruises.

“Did they hurt you?”

Marvin looked down, twiddling his thumbs.

“Not that badly...” he paused. “They told me I was weird... And... that a weirdo like me was probably talentless. They told me that... I didn't deserve to be here..”

 

Daffy paused. He shook his head.

He felt anger bubbling in his stomach.

 

“And... and you're going to listen to them?”

Marvin blinked. He looked away, wiping his cheeks.

“Well... what if they're right? I mean, who are we kidding? I'm _not_ good enough to be here. I _am_ just... weird..."

Then, Marvin stepped forwards to try and walk away. But Daffy was quick. He reached his arm out, grabbing the Martian by the helmet and lifting him up.

“Oh no you don't, eight ball.”

 

And with that, Daffy marched himself and Marvin back into the lobby, Marvin still moving his legs persistently.

 

“L-Let go, puny earthling!” He exclaimed, but the threat lost it's power considering the position he was in. As they walked through the lobby, people turned to look in confusion, at the struggling Martian and the duck holding him up like it was nothing. “Daffy, I told you, I am _not_ auditioning anymore!” Marvin grumbled, crossing his arms. When they reached their seats, Daffy dropped him onto his chair, and gave him a serious look.

 

“Look, you're here for a reason, aren't you?”

Marvin couldn't look him in the face.

“Well...”

“Whatever that reason may be! Now you have a _new_ reason! You've gotta show those _bullies_ that you're _more_ than capable of getting through these auditions!”

Marvin held his breath.

“...do you really think I'm good enough?”

“Of course I do!” There was silence between the two for a moment. “Look, if someone like _me_ can get positive reactions from the judges, then you can too.”

 

Marvin's eyes lit up.

 

“...Thank you, Daffy...” He paused for a second. Then, he sat up straight, placing his hands on his knees. “Oh- that's right! Tell me about your audition!”

Daffy opened his mouth to speak, when-

 

“Oh, do tell us, too!”

Daffy and Marvin turned, and saw Granny and Tweety stood with apologetic smiles.

“Sowwy we took so long!”

Granny chuckled.

“I got distracted talking to these two lovely gophers! What dear young men they were!” Daffy and Marvin gave each other a look. “Although... they did some _unusual_ things... like finishing each other's sentences.”

“Yes, it was a bit strange.”

 

“Oh... Marvin dear, you look as if you've been crying..!”

Marvin's eyes widened, and he wiped his cheeks with his sleeves.

“Oh, no, I'm-”

“Here, dearie.” Granny said, handing Marvin a tissue and her flask of tea. “Drink what's left- you'll feel better.”

Marvin smiled, but his expression quickly changed to one of pure fear. He gasped, hiding behind his knees. Granny, Daffy and Tweety all turned to see what had frightened him.

 

Sticking out like sore thumbs in the crowd were a pack of dogs. Big, scary creatures, with leather jackets and questionable tattoos. They all had evil smiles plastered to their faces.

Daffy stared at them for second, before his eyebrows knitted together. He clenched his fists, and took a step towards them.

 

“D-Daffy, don't-”

 

Just then, speakers crackled above the crowd's heads, stopping Daffy in his tracks, and the receptionist's voice rang out across the lobby.

 

“Can Marvin the Martian come to the stage please? That's Marvin the Martian to the stage, please.”

 

A few gazes fell on Marvin, and a look of pure fright spread across his face. He hid behind his knees even further, but Daffy quickly lunged at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him out of his seat. He pulled him towards the backstage door, radiating pure confidence.

 

“Ey, ain't that the little weirdo we 'ad a talkin to?” Asked one of the dogs, a Rottweiler with a scar over his right eye.

 

The dogs all chuckled, and made their way over to the pair heading for the door. They got there first, easily blocking it.

The bulkiest of the dogs, a bulldog with dagger-like teeth, leaned down.

 

“Didn't we teach you little freak a lesson already?”

The dogs behind him all chuckled in approval. Marvin cowered, but Daffy stood his ground.

“They didn't kick you jerks out already?”

 

One of the dogs, a Doberman with a heart tattoo on his shoulder, gave a gasp.

“Ooooh...”

The bulldog raised the back of his hand, prompting him to clam up in fear. He turned back to Daffy, his eyes brimming with malice.

“Do we need to teach _you_ the same lesson?”

“Mm... no thanks.”

 

The bulldog blinked. He'd never had anyone stand up to him like this.

 

“Look, that little weirdo should've gone crying to his mommy by now.”

“I love my momma...” the Doberman uttered.

“Actually, he's going to do the exact opposite.” Daffy pulled Marvin in front of him, and pushed past the dogs with ease. They were too taken aback to stop him. Daffy turned the handle, and gave the dogs his own smug look. “He's going to get through these auditions, and you're going to have to watch as he's chosen to go to Warner Brothers.”

 

Throughout the whole exchange, Marvin had stayed silent and wide-eyed. Now, he raised his fist, throwing it forward in an attempt at confidence.

“Y-yeah! You'll see!”

Then, Daffy pushed Marvin through the door, uttering a single sentence before closing it.

 

_“Never tell anyone I did this.”_

 

After that, he turned, and strutted away from the gang of dogs proudly. They stood there, dumbfounded.

 

“...Wow, boss. That's _you_ told.” Said a Pit Bull in bewilderment. The Bulldog scowled, slamming his fist down on the Pit Bull's head, and he fell to the floor, seeing stars.

 

Daffy felt sweat beading on his forehead as he hurried back to his seat. He was scared the pack of dogs would be right behind him, ready to truly teach him a lesson. But when he got to his chair and looked back, they were nowhere to be seen. He slumped down in his seat, looking frazzled. Granny leaned down, and whispered in his ear.

 

“That was very brave, dear.”

 


	6. Winners and Bullies

“Alright, well done everyone!" the receptionist's sickly-sweet voice rang out across the lobby. “The auditions are all finished! Now, if you could all come back to the stage, the judges are ready to select the winning acts!”

 

Cheers of joy filled the room, and everyone jumped up. It took a lot of pushing and shoving- several paws were stood on and many tails got trapped- but eventually, everyone managed to fit themselves on the stage. The security guards all breathed a collective sigh of relief once it was over. Why the judges insisted on doing it like this, they would never know.

 

Silence fell upon the waiting crowd. Many of them were waiting with gritted teeth and trembling hands, others had their chests puffed out in confidence. I'll let you guess which one Daffy was.

 

He and the three others with him had managed to work their way to the front of the crowd. They all made sure to stick together. Granny had insisted on them all clinging to each other like baby elephants. None of them particularly fancied being trampled, so they did it, looking almost cute to the people around them.

 

Marvin stood with his face crumpled, shrinking away into his own shoulders, Granny and Daffy on either side of him looking like makeshift bodyguards. He hated being trapped in crowds. Daffy was still, his fists locked tight against his legs, as his gaze fell to the desk in front of the stage. The four chairs were empty, and there were no judges in sight.

 

Then there was the sound of a door opening, and Daffy saw the curtain to the side of the stage shift out of the corner of his eye. The crowd erupted in a wave of excitement.

 

_“Oh my god- there they are!”_

_“We'll be stood right next to them!”_

 

Daffy turned his head, as Foghorn, Pepe, Speedy and Bugs appeared stage. Well, 'dashed on', in Speedy's case, kicking up a cloud of dust and finishing with a wave of his hat. Bugs only rolled his eyes, waving his hand, and giving an overly dramatic bow. God, he definitely knew how to work a crowd. There was a great screech, and a girl broke away from the crowd and darted towards him, her arms outstretched and a manic look in her eyes. Bugs was quick to duck behind Foghorn, gripping onto his feathers in fear, his previously cool expression turned to one of terror. A security guard grabbed the girl by the waist before she could get any closer, pulling her away from the stage and out through the curtain. Bugs breathed a sigh of relief, and a few people chuckled uncomfortably.

 

_'Jeez, does that happen often? My anxiety levels would be through the roof if that was me..'_ Daffy thought, looking in Bugs' direction earnestly. _'I guess a guy like him has everything together..'_

 

By now the crowd had returned to their excitable chattering, granted with a few more security guards standing by. Bugs bit his lip, looking intently over everyone. He twisted his fingers together, looking for all the world like he was searching for something. No- he was searching for some _one_.

 

Then, he spotted Daffy. His eyes lit up. He gave Daffy a small wave, which he was quick to return. It was the smallest of interactions, but it felt so intimate- as intimate as strangers in a crowded room could be, that is.

 

 

At the back of the crowd, another person was scanning the sea of people. Sylvester was on his tip-toes, staring at the judges with his breath held sharply. When Pepe turned in his direction, he was quick to duck. Their earlier interaction had left him flustered beyond belief, but at least they had been a fair distance apart. Now they were on the stage together, and if Sylvester had impressed the judges enough to be chosen... he'd have to stand right next to Pepe... and who knows what would happen then.

 

But Sylvester had also noticed something else while peering over the crowd- his family. Granny and Tweety. A wave of guilt from hiding from them the entire day suddenly washed over him. He swallowed, and began carefully squeezing past the people in front of him. He'd make up for it, somehow.

 

“Okie dokie everyone.” Bugs began, and the crowd fell silent, goofy, star-struck smiles still plastered on most faces. “Now, you've all worked really hard-” Pepe snickered quietly. “And we've narrowed it down to a few names.”

 

Daffy, Marvin, Sylvester- everybody in the crowd held their breath. The judges all glanced over the clipboard in Bugs' hand. Then, Foghorn scanned the crowd, before stepping forwards. He pointed towards a frog in a top hat.

 

“You, good sir. We gotta have you!”

 

The frog's face was taken over by a wide smile. He lifted his cane and tipped his hat.

 

_“I'm so lucky, lucky, lucky todaaay!”_ He sang. People around him began to clap, as he hopped away from the crowd. Bugs and Pepe said something to him in a hushed tone, and he hopped over to the side of the stage. Then, Speedy stepped forward, producing a clipboard of his own.

 

“Okay, uh...” he looked up. “Where is Taz?”

 

At that, what appeared to be a tornado of fur and teeth ripped through the crowd. People jumped back and gasped at the creature. He landed in front of Speedy, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

 

“You.” Speedy began, pointing at him. “You think fast- I like it. You are like a beast with a heart of gold. Audiences love that kinda stuff!”

The other judges nodded, remarking on how powerful his poetry was. Taz made a noise of excitement.

“Taz has made his momma proud!” He garbled, grinning wildly as he spun over to the side of the stage, joining a startled Michigan J Frog.

 

Then, the crowd grew tense. They weren't sure exactly how many names were 'a few', and two people had already been chosen..

 

Marvin was also understandably anxious, despite the reassurance from Granny, Tweety and Daffy. Just for a moment, his eyes scanned the crowd, and something that he spotted made his heart drop.

 

Stood menacingly at the opposite end of the crowd, was the gang of dogs who had threatened him earlier. The bulldog with daggers for teeth had his arms crossed, looking as if he was about to punch the next person who breathed just a little too loudly. Next to them stood another bulldog, but he seemed much less threatening. He looked petrified being so close to them, and he tightened his hold on the kitten in his arms, inching away ever so slightly. The bigger bulldog's eyes shifted, and Marvin quickly ducked behind Granny so as not to be seen.

 

Then, Marvin felt a shadow fall over him- a very tall shadow. He looked up, and was greeted by Foghorn, his hands on his hips and one eyebrow raised.

 

“You, boy.” Came the roosters booming voice. Marvin swallowed.

“Gre- Um, hello...”

 

If Marvin hadn't been distracted in that moment, he would've seen the group of dogs all nudge each other and begin chuckling. Foghorn leaned down, a serious expression on his face. Marvin held his breath. Then, Foghorn's expression turned to one of delight.

 

“You are _amazingly_ talented! We _need_ you for our showcase!”

 

Marvin's eyes widened. Shocked expressions spread across the dog's faces as they looked on.

 

“R-really?” Marvin stammered. The judges all nodded.

“Si!”

"Of course!"

“Y'made almost me cry, doc... I loved your song choice.” Bugs added sweetly. Marvin paused. He felt happiness surge through his body, and he leapt up, flapping his hands excitedly.

“Oh, thank you!” He exclaimed.

 

The judges began to smile. Granny pulled Marvin into a tight a hug, and Daffy patted him on the head. Tweety said something about him being “out of this world”. Marvin dashed past the crowd to join the other contestants, without even a glance in the dog's direction.

 

Then, another judge stepped forwards. This time, it was Bugs. He brought his hand to his face, scanning the clipboard, and then the crowd. He began walking down the front row. He smiled at a small owl, and said “oh, definitely you!”. The owl whooped in excitement and darted off to join Marvin, Taz and Michigan, his wings outstretched, the sleeves of his jacket falling way past his wrists.

 

After a few more steps, Bugs was right in front of the group of dogs. Daffy felt his chest tighten, and he wanted so badly to run in front of him so that he didn't get too close. Both Daffy and Marvin looked on with wide, fearful eyes.

 

“Ehhh… you're the Cool Catz, right?” Bugs asked, pointing a finger over the group, seemingly unfazed by their intimidating auras. They all chuckled lowly.

“You really are a comedian.” The bulldog remarked flatly, his crossed arms unmoving. Bugs didn't react, instead looking back over his notes. He pointed at the Doberman and The Pit bull, who seemed to be trying to stand away from the rest of the group.

“You guys are very talented. A scary image, but... promising. You'd be perfect as comedic bad guys.” He lifted his chin, smiling. “You're in.” He grinned cheerily. The dogs all chuckled, and they turned to each other, exchanging fist-bumps.

“Sweet. We're gonna be real stars, boys!” Said the bulldog smugly. At that, Bugs shook his head. He gestured to the Doberman and the Pit bull.

 

“Oh, no, we only want those two. Sorry guys.” And he swiftly returned to his position next to the other judges. The dog's faces all turned blank. The bulldog narrowed his eyes.

“Excuse me?”

Bugs turned, crossing his own arms.

“The way the rest of you spoke to us was terrible. We don't have room for bullies at Warner Brothers.”

 

The judges nodded, and the dog's mouths fell open. They were silent for a second as the judges continued talking, before the bulldog gave a harsh grumble.

 

“Whatever.” He shoved past the other dogs, and stomped over to the stage steps. The rest of the dogs followed, but the Doberman and the Pit bull stayed, their faces still blank. They bit their lips, staring at each other. Then, the bulldog turned and shot the pair a menacing look. _"Move your asses.”_ He growled, and they quickly did, their tails between their legs. Marvin and Daffy breathed silent sighs of relief as the group shoved their way out of the theatre doors. The judges raised their eyebrows at each other.

 

Foghorn exhaled heavily, turning back to the crowd, which had been gripped with an uncomfortable silence. He looked over everybody thoughtfully. When his eyes landed on Granny and Tweety, he smiled.

 

“You there.” Tweety pointed at himself curiously, and Foghorn nodded. He gestured for them to come closer. “Yes, you. You two go together great- you have _got_ to join us in this showcase!”

 

At that, Tweety jumped into the air with a loud _“wahoo!”_

 

“Oh my goodness!” Granny exclaimed, taking Tweety's wings in her hands. “Tweety, I am _so_ proud of you!” She hugged the little yellow bird tightly. Sylvester, who was partially hidden in the crowd, couldn't help but smile at how happy his family was.. He began to clap, and the noise caught the pair's attention. When they turned to look, Granny's eyes began to shine. “Oh, _Sylvester_!” Granny and Tweety quickly let go of each other as they made a dash for the cat, and Granny plucked him from the crowd. She squeezed him, spinning him around with joy. “Oh, dear, we haven't seen you all day! We were worried!”

“I almost missed you, Puddy Tat!” Tweety continued. He lowered his voice. “Keyword: almost.” he added teasingly.

 

The crowd started to coo, filling the room with a series of _“awww's”_. Sylvester felt blood rushing to his cheeks, but Granny's grip was too tight to wriggle away from.

But then, there came a gasp, and Sylvester's red face instead turned white as a ghost.

 

_**“Mon cher!”**   _Came a familiar voice.

 

“Oh no...” Sylvester uttered. All he saw was a flash of black and white, and suddenly he was no longer in Granny's arms. Pepe moved so fast he left a dust cloud in his wake. He pulled Sylvester to his chest, running his hand through the fur on his head.

 

“We have been apart too long, chéri!” The skunk exclaimed. “Ever since I first heard your beautiful voice, I have been unable to think properly!”

“Oh... goodness...” Granny uttered. She placed a hand over her mouth, struggling to stifle a giggle. Tweety, however, didn't care to hold in his laughter. He flitted over to the pair, hovering inches above the struggling Sylvester.

“Ahh... isn't love such a beautiful thing?”

Pepe, who was now rubbing his cheek against Sylvester's face, gave a sultry smile.

“Ah~ Your little feathered friend gets it~”

“Oh, you'd better start flying.” Sylvester grumbled, but the embarrassment on his face ruined the threat before it had even left his mouth. Daffy, Marvin and the rest of the crowd looked on in pure confusion. A few people were whispering to each other, and a fair number of them had jealousy dripping from their voices. Speedy was shaking his head, holding a hand over his eyes, and Bugs had to cover his mouth with the clipboard. Just then, Foghorn tapped Pepe on the shoulder.

 

“Okay, that's, I say, that's enough.” He managed to tear the two apart, much to the skunk's dismay. He began to protest, reaching his arms out towards Sylvester, but Foghorn quickly lifted him up by the shoulders, disapproval plastered across his face. Sylvester looked completely disoriented, and Granny had to catch him before he fell to the floor.

 

Pepe blinked, and instead of apologising, he let another sultry expression take over his face.

 

“Ahh, you know... I have other ways of making those cheeks red~” Sylvester looked absolutely horrified, even more blood racing to his face, and the crowd erupted in a wave of gasps and laughter. A few people clamped their hands over their children's ears, although they too were struggling not to laugh. Sylvester rested his head on Granny, who was quick to wrap him in a sympathetic hug. Pepe gave an overly dramatic sigh. “Mon amour, why do you not rest your head on _my_ chest like that?”

 

Foghorn turned and dropped Pepe onto the floor, grumbling something about “how to behave”. Pepe just raised his hands in response, prompting an exasperated sigh.

 

Daffy felt something pull inside his chest. It seemed like Foghorn really was like a _dad_ to the other judges..

 

Bugs rolled his eyes fondly, and then looked back at his clipboard, his eyes scanning down the list of names. When suddenly, he stopped. He held his breath. Anyone could've swore they saw his cheeks turn pink.

He looked up, and straight at Daffy.

 

Daffy swallowed. He clenched his fists, fear of all shapes and sizes surging through his body. Marvin gave him a puzzled look from across the stage.

 

As Bugs took a step towards him, Daffy straightened his back and ran his hand through the feathers on his head. Bugs stood in front of him with a little bounce, his smile just as bright as their first encounter. It seemed to get brighter every time Daffy saw it. He felt as if he couldn't move.

 

_'Oh god'_ he thought. _'What if I really_ was _terrible..? What if the judges_ were _just being polite..?'_

 

You can only pick up so much about a person during a 2 minute exchange- and Daffy had picked up _plenty_ about what Bugs was like on the outside- but what about the inside?

What if he was just trying his best to remain polite, and was about to tell him to leave? Daffy would've lost to him again, in arguably the worst way. He'd have to go home and tell Lola and Yosemite that his overwhelming fear of being second best had, at last, been confirmed...

 

“So... Daffy.” Bugs' voice pulled him back to reality.

“Hi-” he blurted out, the rapid pace of his heart forcing his words out faster than his mind could process them.

Bugs looked down at the clipboard.

 

“What to say about you..?" Daffy froze, awaiting the worst... “...Bright and captivating, with just the right amount of energy..” Bugs looked up, practically beaming. “You're already on your way to being a star. You're definitely in.”

The pair's eyes met, and for a while, it was as if they were the only two people in the room.

 

In that moment, it was as if.. everything was okay. No.. it was better.

 

Marvin, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester all cheered and clapped. Granny threw her arms around Daffy, and a less disoriented Sylvester patted him on the back. The crowd and the other judges were chattering and giggling, but Daffy couldn't concentrate on any of them.

 

All he could concentrate on- all he _wanted_ to concentrate on- was the rabbit stood in front of him.

His words played over and over in his head. Nothing could make them stop repeating.

It took everything in him to form a response.

 

“I... thank... thank you...” was all he managed.

Bugs gave a small chuckle, and it only added to the tidal wave of emotions crashing through Daffy's mind.

“No, Doc... thank you.” He replied. And maybe it was just the overhead stage lights, but the glint in his eyes appeared to be made of pure sunshine.

 

But the moment between the two was short lived. Foghorn tapped Bugs on the shoulder and leaned down to his ear.

 

“Is that everyone?” He asked in a hushed tone. It took Bugs a second to respond.

“Oh- yes- that's everyone.” He replied, looking up at the crowd. Sylvester heard this, and whipped his head around, a frantic look on his face. Foghorn and Bugs were quick to reassure him.

“Don't worry son, your name is on our list too.”

“And not just because of Pepe.” Bugs lowered his voice so said person wouldn't hear (he was distracted anyway, too busy taking a selfie with a fan.) Sylvester had to ponder whether or not this was good news.

 

“Okay, everyone!” Foghorn raised his voice, enough for everyone in the room to hear. “Thank you so much! It's been a pleasure watching you all perform, but now we've got our winners!”

 

❃❃❃

 

Many people in the crowd grumbled as they left the stage, understandably disappointed, although there were quite a few who were just happy to have taken part. When they stepped outside the theatre doors, they were greeted by the tv crew and the overzelous reporter. This put a smile on even the grumpiest members of the crowd.

 

Back inside the theatre, the stage felt much, much bigger now. It was just the judges and winners. The judges gestured for everyone to come closer. Marvin gave Daffy an ecstatic look, and Granny made sure to keep Sylvester a safe distance from Pepe. Owl Jolson and Michigan J Frog were busy chatting, discussing Ragtime and Jazz.

 

“So,” Bugs began. “You're our winners!”

“I would just like to say how much of an honour this is, sir!” Owl Jolson piped up, reaching out to shake Bugs' hand. The other contestants all nodded in agreement. Taz spun to stand in front of Bugs.

“It's an _honooour_ to be here. I'm a _huuuge_ fan of you _aaall!”_ He added excitedly. The judges laughed, flattered by the praise.

“Well, we're all honoured to have you here too! We chose you for a reason, after all!”

 

Everyone continued to chatter happily, when suddenly, Bugs felt something tap his ankle. He turned around and saw no one, when his gaze fell to the floor. Stood behind him were two gophers, almost indistinguishable, both with big, bright smiles. They each had their hands clasped together against their chests.

 

“So sorry to interrupt, good sir.” One of them said.

“Ever so sorry!” Said the other.

“But we couldn't help but notice-”

“We couldn't _help_ but notice, you see-”

“That you didn't read out our names.”

 

Bugs blinked, taking a step back.

 

“Um... sorry, gentlemen, but... if we didn't read out your names, you couldn't have been on our list.” Bugs looked down at his clipboard. “Uh, what are your names again...?”

 

The gophers held each others hands and rocked back on their heels, relying on each other for balance.

 

“Mac-!”

“And Tosh!”

“A wonderful pair, if I do say so myself!”

“Oh, aren't you the sweetest?”

“No, _you're_ the sweetest!”

 

Bugs scratched his head, raising an eyebrow at the two of them.

 

“We were the ones who sang that lovely ballad, do you remember?”

 

At that, Bugs snapped his fingers.

 

“Oh yeah, I remember you guys!” His expression quickly changed to one of uncertainty. “Uh...”

 

“What seems to be the problem, Mister Bunny?”

 

A slight smile- if you could even call it that- spread across Bugs' face. He knelt down, placing his hands on his knees.

 

“Well, ya see, the reason we didn't pick you guys is... ya creep us out, Docs.”

 

The cheerful tone of the gopher's voices never once changed.

“What ever can he mean by that?” Mac asked, prompting a shrug from Tosh.

 

“Just... finishing each other's sentences... It's like you're robots or something.”

 

“Robots!” Tosh exclaimed, and the pair began to giggle.

“I for one think you'd make a _wonderful_ robot!”

“Oh no, you'd be _much_ better!”

 

Mac wrapped his arm around Tosh's waist, and the pair looked up at Bugs with those same unchanging smiles.

 

“We fully understand, Mr Bunny! It's-”

“Perfectly alright!”

The Gophers barely paused for air.

“Oh, silly me, I've done it again!”

“Seems we just can't stop!”

The pair giggled and giggled. They giggled their way down the stage steps, waving cheerfully at the judges as they went.

 

“We'll be stars someday, won't we, Mac?”

“You're quite right Tosh!”

“Ooh ooh, let's see if we really _can_ predict what the other will say!”

“Okay! 1, 2, 3...”

_“I like you!”_ They said in unison, giggling again as they stepped through the door. Bugs huffed, standing up straight and placing his hands on his hips.

 

“What delightful young men.” Granny remarked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* foreshadowing *cough*


	7. Hatred Isn't An Option

Bugs turned around and held up his hands with a shrug, as if to say _“I don't even know.”_ He tried to speak again, but didn't get further than opening his mouth when there came the sound of a door swinging open, followed by an excited squeal.

 

_“Bugs!”_

 

Everyone turned to look. Just past the curtain at the side of the stage was a pig, with a bow tie and a cleanly pressed blue jacket. He darted out of the darkness, moving quite fast despite himself. He was swiftly followed, by a blue bird with a long neck, and a scruffy looking coyote. They all threw themselves at Bugs, forcing him to take about 10 steps back. They pulled him into a tight hug, like friends who hadn't seen him in years.

 

“Hi guys- Road, Wile-” Bugs was blatantly taken aback, but it seemed as if this wasn't the first time this had happened. “P-Porky, I kinda need to breathe-”

The pig gasped and was quick to release Bugs from his grip. He had to hold onto the coyote's shoulder for balance, as he struggled to take in air.

“Sorry, Bugs. We're just so _e-e-excited_   to see you!” the pig stammered.

 

The bird nodded, giving a loud _'meep meep!'_ , and held up a small sign. It said,

“It feels like it's been _forever!”_

 

The coyote smiled, and held up a sign of his own. His said,

“Sorry we couldn't be here to judge the auditions with you.”

 

“Aw, don't even worry about it.” Bugs replied, having finally caught his breath. “So, you finished up filming then?”

“Yes!” Porky replied, clapping his hands. “It took longer than we e-e-expected, but I think a crossover episode was a really great idea!”

“I bought pies from porky to use as weapons.” The coyote signed, tossing his head confidently.

“But they tasted good! Porky actually baked them too!” The Roadrunner licked his beak as he held up his reply.

“Aw, you guys are too kind.” Porky replied, his cheeks growing even pinker.

 

The three new arrivals turned to the other judges. Roadrunner ran circles around Foghorn, prompting a hearty laugh, and Wile greeted Pepe with a double high-five (a high-ten, if you will.) Porky began talking to Speedy about something, but nobody else really caught what it was.

Marvin, Daffy and the others all just stood, silently watching the situation unfold. Michigan and Owl Jolson were whispering to each other, completely starstruck. Taz had also taken a break from his wild spinning to stare at the celebrities wide-eyed. Marvin was excited too, but much too nervous to truly show it, and Sylvester was just happy Pepe was distracted.

 

Daffy watched as Bugs joined in the chattering, slinging his arm around his friends necks and getting the fur on his head ruffled like a kid. Of all the members of the acting group, he seemed to be the favourite..

 

 _'Seems he has that effect on everyone.'_ he thought.

 

Then, like a sinister bolt of lightning, something surged through Daffy's chest. It was an intensely unpleasant feeling... but he was no stranger to it. It was the feeling he got in grocery stores, in coffee shops, when listening to the radio.. The feeling that had fuelled the past few years of his life... The feeling he got when he heard people giggle and gush over that damn rabbit as if he was the best thing since coloured cartoons.

 

It was pure, unadulterated envy.

 

And in that moment, Daffy made a realisation.

 

He had disliked many people in his lifetime- some more severely than others- but Bugs Bunny was the first person he had ever truly **hated.**

 

And that realisation came down on him like a ton of bricks.

Because when he stopped and looked into his eyes, hatred didn't even seem like an option.

 

Everything Daffy had been feeling for so many years, up until a few hours ago, had been completely destroyed. Maybe if he hadn't been so intent on avoiding everything to do with Bugs- if he had just looked at a picture of him _once..._ watched one of his cartoons, read one of his interviews...- all of this could've been prevented.

 

Daffy brought his hand to his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt like there was a hurricane in his head. A tornado, tearing down everything he thought he knew.

Had his entire adult life been based on assumptions?

 

All this time he had been secretly priding himself on his hatred of Bugs, going as far as to use it as motivation... but _now what?_   He... liked him?

Daffy squeezed his eyes tighter, so tightly it started to hurt. No. _No._ He didn't like him. He just didn't _hate_ him. Big, big difference-

 

“Hey... Are you okay?”

 

Daffy pried open his sore eyes. Bugs had a look of pure concern on his face, like a close friend who'd known him for years... not a stranger who surely had better things to worry about..

 

“Uh... yeah- I'm... I'm fine.” Daffy said, clenching his jaw.

 

**_'I don't like him.'_ he thought.  _'I just... don't_ hate _him.'_**

Bugs looked skeptical, but he didn't get the chance to press the issue any further, as there came an excited coo from over his shoulder.

 

“So, these are the winners?” Porky asked, staring at them starry-eyed. Marvin shuffled, and Sylvester gave a shy wave.

“They sure are!” Bugs replied proudly

.

Porky, Wile and the Roadrunner took a step closer to them.

 

“Hi everyone!” The Roadrunner signed, grinning widely. Owl Jolson waved, the sleeve of his jacket falling to his elbow.

“Wow... Warner Brothers were right to trust your judgement!“ Porky exclaimed. “These guys all look super talented!” The contestants all laughed and waved away the praise. All except Daffy. His only response was a feeble smile. “Well, you're members of Foghorn Leghorn's acting group now! And after this showcase, you'll be on your way to Warner Brothers!”

 

The contestants all erupted in ecstatic chatter- it was enough to even perk Sylvester up. Make no mistakes, Daffy felt incredibly excited by the prospect too; a smile even spreading across his face. But soon, his face fell, as a thought came to his mind.

 

“Wait... _Foghorn's_ acting group? I thought it was _yours_?” he asked, pointing at Bugs. Bugs looked startled for a second, before he brought his hands to his chest and shrugged.

“Well, yeah, it's his acting group.. We haven't always worked at Warner Brothers. We're just employed by them, y'see-”

“The bigwigs up there thought Bugsy here was more marketable.” Foghorn continued, pulling the rabbit into a side hug. And although there was a hint of dejection in his voice, there was no disdain. Foghorn seemed perfectly okay with letting Bugs take credit for the acting group. Daffy became subconsciously determined to one day figure out why..

 

Bugs laughed and playfully pushed the rooster away. Porky turned to the contestants with a smile.

 

“So, can we be introduced?”

 

Owl Jolson and Michigan J Frog were the first to introduce themselves (no real surprise there.) Granny, Tweety and Sylvester introduced themselves next. Granny began to gush about how talented her boys were, and everyone chuckled at her enthusiasm. Tweety openly accepted the praise, and Porky whispered something to Foghorn about “liking his confidence”. Pepe found himself resting his head on his hand and staring at Sylvester as he was talking. Taz spun in a tornado around Porky, all the while garbling about something unintelligibly. Wile and The Roadrunner had to catch Porky to stop him falling to the floor in a dizzy heap.

 

Marvin introduced himself as best he could, and he was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the three of them were.

 

Then it came time for Daffy to introduce himself. He had barely gotten out his first name before Pepe piped up.

 

“Ah yes, Monsieur Duck is Bugs' favourite~”

 

Bugs felt his face grow hot. He made a dash for Pepe, flailing his arms, viciously embarrassed, but Foghorn was quick to grab him. Pepe just stuck out his tongue, giving the rabbit a teasing wink. Daffy shook his head.. Did Pepe know something he didn't..?

 

Foghorn set Bugs down again a few seconds later, when his cheeks had returned to their regular colour. Bugs had his arms crossed, pouting in Pepe's direction like a scorned little kid. Foghorn exhaled heavily, placing his hands on his hips.

 

“Well, I think, I say, I think that's enough excitement for one day, don't you guys?”

 

There came a collective rise of agreement from everyone on the stage. Bugs took a deep breath, returning to his previously calm demeanour.

 

“You've all done amazing today, guys.” He looked right at Daffy. “But now you should all go home and rest. We should see you all back here a week tomorrow- that's when the rehearsals start!”

 

 _'A week tomorrow.'_ Daffy thought. _'And then I can start working towards my future.'_

 

❃❃❃

 

Taz, Michigan and Owl Jolson were the first out of the theatre, greeted of course by the film crew.

 

“And here are some of the lucky winners themselves- let's see what they have to say!” The reporter beamed, his shiny teeth gritted in that unnerving grin.

 

“Ooh, look boys! Let's go and tell them all about today!” Granny chimed, pulling Tweety and a reluctant Sylvester towards the camera. Pepe blew a kiss at him from inside the theatre.

“See you in a week, mon cher~” he said, winking.

 

Marvin stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the mass of people waiting outside the theatre doors. His chest grew tight, and he took a step back. All of a sudden, he felt a hand fall on his shoulder.

 

“Hey,” said Bugs, his tone ever so comforting. “Come on," He smiled at both Marvin and Daffy. "You two can go out the stage door.”

 

Daffy breathed a silent sigh of relief. He really wasn't in the mood to be interviewed either- it was as if Bugs knew.

 

 

When they reached the stage door, Foghorn pushed it open, and a rush of cold air hit them. The judges all waved goodbye, and Marvin thanked them as he skipped down the steps. Daffy was the last out of the theatre, and when he was no more than three steps away from the door, Bugs' voice caught his attention.

 

“See ya in a week and a day, Daffy.” He chimed. Daffy turned. His mouth twisted into a smile.

“See ya...” he said with a wave, before turning back and walking away from the theatre..

 

When he turned the corner, he let out an enormous sigh. He looked around. There was no one to seen, not even Marvin, and he could hear the buzzing of the crowd coming from the front of the theatre. Daffy paused for a second, the events of the day playing over in his head...

 

He huffed, and began to trudge his way back home.

 

❃❃❃

 

Now, the air had grown colder and the sky had grown darker, and Daffy could see the warm lights of The Jackrabbit illuminating the street in the distance.

Lola must've been waiting for him with her face pressed against the glass, because as soon as he rounded the corner, she rushed out of the shop to greet him.

 

“Daffy!” She yelled, enough to probably wake up a few people. Yosemite Sam quickly darted from behind the counter to join her. “Did you get in? Well, did you??”

 

Seeing them so invested was honestly a little surprising... It tugged at something in Daffy's chest. He felt his mouth spread into a smile.

 

“I... I did!”

 

Lola squealed, throwing her arms around him.

 

“Oh my god! Daffy!!” She squeezed him tightly. “I knew you could do it! Oh, I'm so proud of you! My little ducky is on his way to Warner Brothers!” She gripped his shoulders, stars in her eyes. “Come on inside, tell us all about it!!” And within a second she had pulled him inside and sat him down at his favourite table. Yosemite Sam gave a hearty laugh, patting Daffy on the back roughly.

 

“I'll go make you ya fave'rit coffee- on the house!    ...but just this once.”

 

When Yosemite served Daffy his coffee, he and Lola sat down to hear all about his day.

Daffy told them about the film crew (Lola said they had been watching the TV but hadn't seen Daffy on it). He told them about Marvin, Granny, Tweety, Sylvester, how he stood up to the gang of dogs... He decided it was best to leave out the part about trespassing.

 

Then he began to talk about the judges. Lola found it very exciting that it was actually Warner Brothers actors judging the competition. When Daffy started listing the judges, Lola's eyes lit up.

 

“Wait... was Bugs Bunny one of the judges?” She asked, leaning over the table intently. Daffy felt his heartbeat waver. In that moment, he remembered what he had said to Lola the night he had gotten kicked out of his old drama class...  _He said he'd let her know if he ever met him._

 

“...Yes, he was.”

 

Lola's eyes filled with stars. She jumped up, and Yosemite had to duck to avoid being knocked off his chair.

 

 _ **“Ahhhh!!!”**   _She screeched. “I'm so jealous!!" she hastily sat back down, with enough force to start an earthquake. Yosemite gripped the table, silently pondering if he should get a new waitress. “So did you get to talk to him? Face to face??” Lola asked. It took everything in Daffy to stay looking equally as enthusiastic.

“Well- y-yeah- I did-”

Lola began shaking- she was in pure, unfiltered fangirl mode.

 

“So what's he like?? Is he actually as cool and confident as he makes out? Is he really like-” she straightened her back, miming pushing sunglasses over her eyes. “ _'I don't care and neither should you'_? Is he as fluffy as the pictures make him look?!”

 

Daffy froze. What came out of his mouth next even surprised himself.

 

“Actually... he's not really like that. He's confident, sure, but... he's nice...”

 _'and he's very fluffy...'_ Daffy thought.

 

Lola was about to reply, but was interrupted by Yosemite slamming his hand down on the table.

 

“So, did ya succeed in showing him up? Did ya finally get the respect ya deserve? Did all that bottled up envy help in nabbin' ya a place in the showcase?”

 

Daffy felt sweat beading on his forehead. He opened his mouth to speak, but his attention was quickly stolen by a voice.

 

 

“The only reason you went to audition was because of envy? You're not really fit for Warner Brothers then, are you?”

 

 

Daffy, Yosemite and Lola all whipped their heads around. In the far corner of the café, sat at a table all by herself, was a duck, with pale yellow feathers and thick brown hair obscuring her eyes. She took a sip from her cup of coffee, all the while giving Daffy a harsh look.

 

“Excuse me..?”

 

The girl placed her cup down, before standing up and making her way over to Daffy's table.

 

“You'll never make it in the industry with an attitude like that. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to kick you from the showcase.”

 

Daffy raised an eyebrow at her, shaking his head in confusion. Yosemite Sam stood up from the table, the stern look on his face losing any power due to his small stature.

 

“S'cuse me, lady, we don't tolerate rudeness in this here café- 'specially not towards our friends.”

 

Daffy blinked. His chest seemed to grow a little tighter.

 

Lola stood up too, her hands on her hips.

 

“Yeah! Daffy'll show you. He's gonna be the _star_ of the showcase. The worlds gonna know his name! Isn't that right, Daffy?”

Daffy was taken aback. He narrowed his eyebrows and lifted his head.

 

“Yeah, what _they_ said!”

 

The girl's expression never changed. Yosemite Sam crossed his arms.

 

“I doubt that the world'll ever know _your_ name. What even _is_ your name?” He asked, venom in his voice. And although he was somewhat contradicting his own policy about rudeness, it was all in standing up for Daffy- and that made it okay in his eyes.

 

“Tina. Tina Russo. And don't you forget it.” The girl spat. Then, she turned, and headed for the door, stopping just as she gripped the handle. “I don't know what the judges see in you." She scoffed. "I don't know what anyone sees in _them._ They're not that great.. _Especially_   not Bugs.”

 

Those words felt like a bullet to Daffy's heart. What did this Tina girl have against him? Against _Bugs?_ It was as if she _knew_ he had been playing on his mind all day.

 

But Daffy didn't get a chance to ask any questions. Within a second Tina was through the door, slamming it behind her before disappearing into the darkness of the street.

 

After that, Yosemite gave a loud huff, remarking on how strange the situation was. Lola patted Daffy on the shoulder, telling him not to take what she said to heart. Then, the two of them leapt up, stating that they just _had_ to celebrate Daffy's success. They spent the night consuming way too much caffeine and sugar, courtesy of Lola's baking, and Yosemite's barista skills (the products of which may have had a dash of something stronger than milk.) Daffy spent the entire evening with a big forced smile on his face.

 

❃❃❃

 

When Daffy finally got himself home, the first thing he did was collapse on his bed. The sheets were cold and stiff, as if they hadn't been slept on in years. He rolled over onto his back, everything that had happened since 10 o'clock that morning replaying like a movie.

He felt like every contradicting emotion possible was swirling in his head. The only thing he wanted was to sleep, but nothing he did could make him drift off. He was tired. So, so tired. But too much was happening in his mind for it to even _contemplate_ sending him to sleep.

 

But on the other side of the city, bundled up in warm bedsheets in a 5-star hotel, was a grey rabbit, who had no problem at all falling asleep to his own giggles and a stomach full of butterflies.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pepe and Wile greeting each other with high-fives like bros is one of my favourite things.
> 
> Also, I'm free for summer now, so this fic can have more attention! <3 I have many ideas for it, even though I'm lowkey making it up as I go...
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! <3


	8. A Slow Week

The following week was one of the slowest in Daffy’s life. The town was quiet, and the streets were empty. It was as if the world was calming down, biding it’s time, preparing itself for the upcoming week.

 

Daffy draped his arms over the back of a chair and closed his eyes, the sunshine making the inside of The Jackrabbit hypnotically warm. The barren streets outside were still so bright, and the trees swayed so calmly. Even though it was early October, anyone could’ve mistaken it for a day in the middle of summer. Although the café had had almost no customers that day, the machines all continued their regular bubbling and steaming. The familiar smell of coffee filled Daffy’s senses. He could taste the memory of a white chocolate chip cookie on his tongue, and every so often he caught the scent of spiced syrup. Everything combined in a way that made him practically unable to fight off sleep. But his blissful moment was short-lived, as there came the sound of a cup being slammed down on the table, jolting him awake.

 

“Hey, come on now!” Yosemite Sam began, forcing a tea towel into Daffy’s hand. “I don’t pay ya to sleep!”

“You don’t pay me at all.” Daffy replied, raising a tired eyebrow. A look crossed Yosemite’s face, as if he actually had to think about it for a second.

“Oh yeah.” Came his delayed response, prompting Lola to splutter from behind the counter. Yosemite huffed. “Just dry that will ya? Y’said you’d help.”

“When did I say that?” Daffy asked, taking the cup in his hand anyway. Lola gave him a sympathetic look.

“Aw, you looked so comfortable.” She cooed.

“Yeah, well, if the kid wants to make it big and work along side them A-listers at Warner Brothers, he’s gotta start bein proactive.”

 

Lola and Daffy shared a look.

 

“And cleaning cups is gonna help me with that?” Daffy asked.

“Yeah.” Yosemite replied shortly.

“And what do _you_ know about what it takes to be a celebrity?” Lola continued. Yosemite narrowed his eyes.

 

“Missy, y’ever been t’rodeo school?” Lola froze. She shook her head, although she wasn’t exactly sure whether ‘rodeo school’ was a real thing. “They’d ‘ave us up at the crack a’dawn.” Yosemite lamented. He turned to Daffy. “They’ll ‘ave you doin the exact same when ya needa get to yer set. What time do ya normally get up?”

 

“Uh… 8:00?”

 

And at that, Yosemite shook his head.

 

Daffy rolled his eyes, but the more he thought about it, the more he realised he _would_ have to start making changes- in his lifestyle and in his attitude.

 

He knew that he wasn’t exactly what you’d call ‘marketable’- and being marketable played a big part in the acting industry. Daffy would never admit it to anyone, but he had felt incredibly out of place while stood next to the Warner Brothers actors on Sunday. Even when compared to Wile, who took pride in his scruffy, bad-boy-esque style. Daffy felt as if he looked like he had gotten lost and ended up in the wrong room. Everyone else had looked so… _professional_ , for lack of a better word- Pepe with his slicked-back fur, Porky with his bow tie… Bugs with his… _everything._

 

Daffy tightened his grip on the towel, trying to ignore the blood rushing to his face.

 

Glancing at the back of the room, Daffy couldn’t help but remember the girl he had met the last time he was here. Tina had a presence about her- like a high school bully in adult form. She seemed like the type of person who had a problem with everyone, even people she didn’t know- people like Daffy. Daffy always felt like he had a knack for making complete strangers dislike him... It was one of those things that added to the negative way he viewed himself.

 

Daffy didn’t like to admit that he had flaws- even though he _knew_ he had plenty. But one thing he (and most people who knew him) could agree on, was that he was much too _gloomy_. He tended to spiral into negative thoughts- and most of the time, it was his default. He knew if he wanted to succeed he would need to find something to help himself maintain a positive outlook..

 

That’s where his dreams would usually come in handy. When he got caught up in his anxieties, he would close his eyes and imagine the day he stepped onto Warner Brothers property. He could practically _feel_ the lights on his face, _hear_ the cheering fans. _Just to show the world what he could do,_ _that would be enough._ But lately, Daffy had started to feel different. Something had been hiding in the back of his mind... One small thought that kept growing and growing. The thought that, maybe, it _wouldn’t_ be enough. Daffy couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something- something important. As if there was a gap that needed to be filled.

 

Today was one of those lucky days, one of the days Daffy felt okay- and okay was better than bad. _Still,_ Daffy thought, _he would love for something to turn his day around. Something to turn an okay day into a good one..._

 

 _Something was missing..._ But what?

 

“Milk.”

 

Daffy whipped his head around to see a disgruntled looking Yosemite stood behind the counter.

 

“What?” Daffy asked.

“We need milk.” Yosemite held up his hand, shaking an empty milk carton. He turned to Lola, who had abandoned all work to lean against the counter and check her phone. “Lola, go and buy milk.”

This was enough to distract her from the screen inches from her face.

 

“What? That’s not fair! I went and got it last time!”

“Exactly, that mean’s you’re more qualified than me. Also you’re younger.”

 

The two of them continued to bicker, as Daffy quietly stood up from his table.

 

“Um… I could go and get it if you want..?”

 

Lola and Yosemite turned to Daffy, their argument quickly ceasing.

 

“Oh, really Daffy?”

“Sure.” He nodded.

“You're too helpful, son.” Yosemite added. “…Quit it, it’ll get ya in trouble.” Daffy rolled his eyes, but there was a part of him that knew that Yosemite really was thankful. He made his way over to the counter and held out his hand. “…What?” Yosemite asked. There was silence for a second, before the man winced. “Oh, you want money..?”

 

❃❃❃

* * *

 

 

The clear sky and warm air made for a pleasant walk, and Daffy supposed it was good for him to stretch his legs. He never really left the house that much. He had no real reason to, except to buy groceries or visit The Jackrabbit. He really had nothing else to leave for.. He wasn't about to hop and a train and go visit his family. As for his job...

 

Daffy winced, as the image of ominous envelopes on his doormat flashed in his head.

 

"Bastard..." He grumbled...

 

 

Then, another thought started to creep into his mind. A familiar thought, which he quickly dismissed.

Of course Lola and Yosemite wouldn't want him working at The Jackrabbit... he knew nothing about brewing coffee or waiting tables. And he wasn’t too sure he would suit that brown apron, anyway...

 

Daffy sighed. He lifted his head, glassy eyes staring up at the vast blue sky.

 

 _‘If only my future could come sooner.’_ He thought.

 

* * *

 

❃❃❃

 

Soon enough, Daffy found himself outside the grocery store. Discarded shopping carts and promotional flyers littered the parking lot. The same red sign on the bricks high above the customers heads simply read ‘Store’ (Well, at least there was no false advertising.) Everything was as it should be- Except for one thing.

 

Stood just outside the glass doors was a man- A big burly man, in all black clothes. Two heavily tattooed arms were crossed tightly against his chest, and he looked as if he could crush you with his pinkie finger. Daffy watched in confusion as a woman stepped up to the doors. Just like that the man held out his arm, stopping her in her tracks. He looked her up and down for a second before grunting and allowing her access. Daffy gulped as he made his way over to the man . As expected, his inked arm shot out in front of him. Daffy froze. The man tipped his head and stared at him with piercing eyes. Daffy wondered why on earth this was happening. After a few seconds, the man’s cold eyes flickered, as if he had remembered something. He nodded, and Daffy could’ve swore he saw the corners of his mouth twist into a smirk. Then, the man returned his arm to its position locked tight against his chest, and his face returned to stone. Daffy sheepishly scuttled through the doors, completely puzzled by what had just taken place.

 

Daffy soon discovered the inside of the store was just as empty as the streets. The aisles all seemed abandoned, and it made him uncomfortable. As he began to walk in the direction of the fridges, he passed the customer service desk, where two teenage employees were stood giggling to each other. Daffy only picked up a part of their conversation.

 

“Why aren’t we putting this all over the internet?” A girl asked.

“We’ll ask him for a picture if he walks past here again!” A boy replied.

 

Daffy raised an eyebrow. As he turned into an aisle, he passed another pair- two women, who were also giggling.

 

“Oh my god, was that really him? Do you think it was just a lookalike..?” One of them asked, excitement clear in her voice.

“No way!” the other exclaimed. “No one could imitate him that well!”

 

Daffy was perplexed. What had happened to this store? He huffed, shaking his head, and continued walking- when he suddenly collided with something. No- _someone._ Both of them were thrown backwards, and the other person’s basket fell to the floor. Daffy was the first to recover.

 

“Oh- I-I’m sorry-” he stammered, reaching to help them gather their things, not once stopping to look up at them.

“N-no, it’s okay-” a familiar voice replied, also bending down to pick up what they had dropped.

 

Now, the two of them were at eye level, and Daffy looked up to see who he had bumped into. His mouth fell open,

 

“B-Bugs?”

“Daffy-?” Indeed, the owner of the basket was Bugs Bunny. “ _Hi-!_   I-I mean-” Bugs scrambled to return the items to his basket and stood back up, feigning composure. “What’s up, doc?”

 

Daffy gave a nervous laugh.

 

_Oh god, of course he always had to embarrass himself..._

 

"Hey! Uh, nothing much- I mean, um… What are _you_ doing here?” Daffy asked, tripping over his words.

"Just picking up some stuff for back at my hotel room." Bugs replied, gesturing to his basket. In it was a bundle of carrots, and another item hidden under their leaves. "Carrots-" Bugs gave a small chuckle. "Because, y'know, they're kind of my thing."

 

But of course, Daffy _hadn't_ known that. He paused.

 

"They're your favourite, right?" he asked, playing along.

 

"Yeah!" Bugs beamed. Daffy smiled. He'd have to keep that in mind.

 

Then, Bugs picked up the partially hidden object- it was purple and cylindrical. "And some hot chocolate too. Can you believe the hotel didn't have any? And it's supposed to be 5-Stars! All they had was gross fancy stuff." Bugs pulled a disgusted face. "Like, Earl Grey. I mean, who even thinks that tastes good?" He laughed uncomfortably. 

 

Daffy couldn't help but smirk at Bugs' small rant. _Of course_ he was the type of person to drink hot chocolate. Daffy really wouldn't have expected anything less.

 

The pair were quiet for a moment, and the silence was only broken when a thought crossed Daffy's mind.

 

"Hey, how aren't you getting mobbed by fans..?"

"Huh?" Bugs asked drearily.

"I would've thought it was dangerous for you to walk around by yourself- Uh, if you get what I mean- Don't celebrities usually have bodyguards?"

 

Bugs' expression then changed to one of simultaneous amusement and disdain.

 

"You saw the guy stood outside the doors, didn't you?" Daffy nodded- so _that's_ why he was here. Bugs sighed and shook his head. "Say what you want about Warner Brothers, but they sure do protect the people who make 'em money." he continued halfheartedly. "So, uh... what're _you_ here for?"

"Oh, uh, I gotta pick up milk for my friends coffee shop."

"Your friend owns a coffee shop?" Bugs' eyes lit up.

"Yeah. Two of 'em both work there, actually. They were arguing over who should go and get milk, so I offered to do it."

"Oh, wow." The two began to laugh. "We always search for good coffee shops when we travel anywhere... me and the guys from 'Take-'" Bugs paused for a second, tripping over his words. Daffy blinked. "Uh, I mean, me and the guys from Warner Brothers, that is-" Daffy opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Bugs playfully pushed his arm. "Well, come on, let's go get what you need."

 

Daffy and Bugs spent their time in the store talking and laughing. The entire time several employees and customers kept shooting the two of them looks of envy.

"Who is this guy, and why is _Bugs Bunny_ giving him so much attention?" They couldn't help but think. It was remarkable and unfair all at the same time.

 

Once Daffy and Bugs stepped out into the sunshine, the man stood outside the doors gave Daffy a knowing look. It was only there for a second, but it was long enough for Daffy to catch it. Then, he turned to Bugs.

 

"Is everything okay, Mr Bunny?" He asked in a gruff tone.

"Yes, everything's good. Thank you." Bugs gave the man a smile.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr Bunny," The man continued. "But isn't this one of the winners of your competition?"

Daffy swallowed.

"Yeah, he is!"

The bodyguard turned to Daffy.

"Hi, uh- I'm Daffy Duck-"

The bodyguard smiled, and held out a hand. Daffy shook it, nervous that his own hand might get crushed if he squeezed too hard.

"Well, good to meet ya-"

 

 ** _"BUGS BUNNY!?"_**  The three men were all immediately interrupted by a high pitched screech. Across the parking lot was a teenage girl, with a manic look in her eyes. **_"OH MY GOD, IT'S BUGS BUNNY!"_** she exclaimed.

 

Then, as if from thin air, an entire swarm of people appeared. They all made a mad dash towards Bugs, giggling and screeching, making intense grabbing motions with their hands. Bugs ducked, squeezing his eyes shut and holding his hands over his ears. The bodyguard sprang forwards, pushing back the crowd as best he could. Just then, Bugs felt a presence in front of him. He opened his eyes and looked up- and saw Daffy, his arms outstretched... shielding him from the crowd..? Bugs' eyes sparkled, and he felt his chest grow tight. He would've said something- if only the crowd wasn't so loud.

The entire time Daffy was searching his mind tirelessly for a way to get rid of them. They were here because they loved Bugs... maybe they loved another Warner Brothers actor just as much. For a second, he glanced at the ground, and saw one of the many discarded flyers. It read _'_ _Elmer Fudd's Premium Gun Powder- More Bang For Your Buck!'_

 

Daffy didn't need any more time to think. He smirked. He took a deep breath, stood as tall as he could, and pointed to somewhere past the crowd.

 

"Hey, everybody! There's Elmer Fudd!" He yelled excitedly. The crowd gave a collective gasp. They turned and began running in the opposite direction.

 

 **_"I want him to sign my face!"_ **someone exclaimed.

 

The crowd kept running and running, chasing after someone who wasn't there, until they were out of sight.

Then, everything fell silent.

 

Bugs slowly removed his hands from his ears and returned to his regular posture, his awestruck expression unchanging. He blinked. He was glad Daffy had his back turned- he would've surely caught him staring if he didn't.

 

The bodyguard gave a sigh of relief, placing a hand on his head.

 

"Wow." He laughed, and turned to Daffy. "That was real clever of you, Mr Duck."

 

Daffy looked up at him. He smiled. Then he turned to face Bugs.

 

"Are you okay?" Daffy asked. The concern in his voice made it impossible for Bugs to put on a cool front.

"Yeah- I'm good- um... Thank you..."

Daffy smiled again, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't mention it."

 

The bodyguard smirked and placed his hands on his hips.

 

"Well," He began. "If it's alright with you Mr Bunny, I think I can leave you in this one's hands for the rest of the afternoon."

"What?" The pair gave the man puzzled looks.

"It's gettin' close to my lunch break, and he's already proved he can stand up for himself _and_ you!"

Bugs gave a nervous laugh.

"That doesn't seem entirely professional..."

 

The bodyguard shrugged and pulled a playful face.

 

"Sometimes it's fun being unprofessional though, right?"

 

A thoughtful look crossed Bugs' face. Daffy raised an eyebrow. Then, Bugs' mouth shifted into a smile.

 

"Well... I guess I could afford to hang out for a while... If that's alright with you..?" He turned to Daffy.

"Yeah... definitely.."

Bugs swallowed, crossing his arms.

"Okay then, you can go and have your lunch. We'll try not to fight too much won't we, Daffy?" He chuckled.

"Uh- yeah-" Daffy replied through a nervous laugh.

 

At that, the bodyguard leaned forward and shook Daffy's hand again. Then he waved at Bugs before turning to walk away.

 

"Have fun you two!" He said, in a tone that sounded as though he knew something.

 

Then, he was gone.

 

Daffy and Bugs stood there, unsure of what to do next..

 

"Y'know they wanted me to do a cartoon with that guy..." Bugs said after a while.

"Who?" Daffy asked.

"Elmer Fudd. It was gonna be about him hunting me, 'cause it was Rabbit Season, or something. Typical 'good guy, bad guy' kinda thing..."

"Ah."

"We've never actually filmed anything though. They said they wanted another actor- Someone for me to play off of, have some back and forth with."

"Yeah?"

Bugs chuckled.

"They tried gettin' Pepe to fill the role at first. But he kept going off script and making too many jokes about 'guns' and 'shooting' and... Yeah, you get why they couldn't have him in it."

Daffy couldn't stop himself from spluttering.

"Oh, _wow_."

" _Yeah_." Bugs continued. "And then they tried Wile in the role, but he just wasn't giving them the vibe they wanted. Y'know, considering he doesn't talk."

"Oh?"

 

"Yeah.. But, y'know... that doesn't mean those guys are bad actors. They just weren't right for that particular role. They're amazing in their own cartoons..." Daffy's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but smile. Bugs caught it out of the corner of his eye, and cleared his throat. "I.. I hope we find someone for the role some day, though. It sounds like it could be a really great cartoon, y'know?"

"Yeah... I do." Daffy held his breath. A small part of him wondered if maybe _he_ could be the one to fill that role... He was going to Warner Brothers, after all... right? Well, he'd have to wait and see. Silence fell upon the pair again, but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was nice... like the silence between people who just enjoyed each others company. "Hey, uh..." Daffy said after a second or two. "Do you... wanna go on a walk?"

 

"Huh?" Bugs' eyes grew wide.

"I mean, if you want- I just, uh, thought it'd be nice-"

"No, no, I'd- I'd love to!" Bugs was quick to reply, and his cheeks flushed at his own enthusiasm. A relieved smile spread across Daffy's face.

"It's just, I have to bring this milk back to my friends- And.. I think it'd be good if we got to know each other... Y'know- because we're gonna be working together..?"

Bugs felt his hands tremble.

"Yeah.. I agree..."

 

Daffy felt adrenaline surge through his entire body... he'd actually just said that.. _oh my god... What was he doing..?_

He held his breath. He knew he had to be careful with his words, so that he didn't end up saying something he'd regret...

Just then, a thought popped into his mind, and his smile shifted into a smirk.

 

"And... I told someone I'd let them know if I ever met you."

 

Bugs cocked his head in confusion, sending his ears flopping to one side. Before he knew it, Daffy was gesturing for him to follow along.

 

❃❃❃

 

On the walk back to The Jackrabbit, the pair continued to chat, picking up their conversation where they had left it earlier. Bugs asked Daffy what it was like in this town. 'Boring, mostly', was Daffy's response, prompting a chuckle. Then, Daffy asked Bugs what working at Warner Brothers was like. 'Interesting, to say the least.' Bugs replied. Daffy told Bugs about Lola and Yosemite Sam, his words wavering as he did (it still felt so strange that he could say he had friends and be telling the truth..) and in turn, Bugs told Daffy about _his_ friends.

 

"Lola and Yosemite sound really nice." Bugs chimed. Daffy thought for a second.

"They are..."

 

Daffy shifted. Today was... going well... the conversation was nice...

 

So why did he feel so guilty?

 

You know that feeling you get when you can tell something is wrong, but you can't place a finger on what it is? It could be a million things. Like there's a dark cloud hanging over you, but the cloud happens to be invisible..?

 

But Daffy was quickly dragged from his own thoughts, as Bugs gasped, and his expression suddenly changed to one of pure delight. He rushed past Daffy to get a closer look at something, an air of excitement taking him over.

 

 _"Wow!"_ He exclaimed, gripping onto a twisty black metal gate. "This park looks amazing!"

 

Peering through the gate, Bugs saw a huge expanse of grass, which had begun fading from green into a striking shade of orange, with a path stretching off further than he could see. There were magnificent trees and shrubs and _beautiful_ patches of spectacularly coloured flowers, and benches that looked _perfect_ for people to sit and talk. Daffy smirked at Bugs' enthusiasm.

 

"Yeah? I've passed through here a couple of times."

"I've always loved going for walks in the park." Bugs continued. "They're great places to clear your mind."

 

Daffy blinked, taking a second look through the gate. For some reason, standing there, next to Bugs... he felt different. It was a _good_ kind of different. And he couldn't help but wonder... why had he never noticed how beautiful this park was before..?

 

He glanced at one of the benches.

 

"Well... maybe we should take a walk in there some time."

 

"Really?" Bugs turned to Daffy, and, if only for a second, there was an intense sparkle in his eyes. Suddenly, he seemed to become aware of himself, and he ducked into his shoulders. "I mean, uh... Yeah, that'd be cool."

 

Then, the two continued their journey, Bugs trailing behind and trying desperately to regain his composure.

 

**_Oh god, of course he always had to embarrass himself..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slow week? More like a slow burn
> 
> lmao


	9. A Pest Problem

"What is _takin'_ that boy so long?" Yosemite Sam asked out loud, growing increasingly impatient by the minute. Each second that passed by, each tick of the clock on the wall, seemed to drag on for hours.

"I hope he's okay..." Lola replied, her wrist starting to ache from constantly checking her phone. Daffy had been gone far longer than he should have. The two café workers were beginning to think the milk would be sour by the time he returned.

Yosemite let out a sigh that had been loitering in his chest for a while, and crossed his arms.

"Geez, if I'd have known he'd take this long, I woulda gone myself." he huffed. Lola raised an eyebrow in the mans direction.

"...No you wouldn't." Then it was her turn to sigh. She looked down, her nose inches away from the counter, and shook her head. "Just feel lucky we haven't had any-"

 

As she spoke, Lola lifted her head. But before she could announce her gratitude for the slow work day, what she saw as she looked up at the window stole all possible words from her mouth. She gasped, her phone clattering to the counter underneath her hands. Her eyes widened, and she froze... as Daffy stepped past the window, with _Bugs Bunny_ following behind him. Lola panicked, and before the bell above the door had even finished ringing, she ducked under the counter, flattening her ears so as not to be seen. Even Yosemite Sam found himself lost for words- which was a very rare occurrence indeed. He looked at Daffy, then at Bugs, and then back at Daffy.

 

"Hey Sam." Daffy said coolly, as if absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Hi- Uh," Yosemite turned to Bugs again, "...Hi..." and offered a meek wave. Bugs waved back, giving him a sweet smile. Then, Yosemite gestured for Daffy to come closer. He grabbed his shoulder and began to whisper sharply. "I send you to get milk, and you come back with a _celebrity?"_ he paused. "...What would you bring back if I sent you to get sugar?"

 

Daffy pulled back and rolled his eyes, placing the shopping bag on the counter. Yosemite couldn't help but fumble while putting the milk away. As he did, Daffy's eyes began to scan the room, eventually landing on the discarded phone on the counter top.

 

"Hey, where's, uh...?"

 

From her position on the floor, Lola shot Yosemite a look that said _'don't you dare.'_  But Yosemite had never been good at listening to demands.

 

"She's under the counter."

 

Lola scowled and kicked the man in the leg, prompting a yelp of pain. Daffy and Bugs just stared at each other, as Lola cautiously peeked her head over the counter top. When her eyes fell on Bugs, her already racing heart started to speed up. Bugs placed a hand on his hip, and gave her a bright smile.

 

"Whats up, Lola?"

 

At that, Lola's heart felt just about ready to jump out of her chest. She leapt up, and gripped the counter top fiercely.

 

_"How do you know my name?"_ she asked, her voice low and raspy, her posture animalistic. Bugs' hand shot to cover his mouth as he tried his best to stifle his laughter. A look of fondness appeared on his face.

"I told him all about you guys on the way here." Daffy replied confidently, crossing his arms and raising his beak. Hearing that sent a flicker through Yosemite's aging eyes. Lola leaned closer to Daffy, her face contorted.

_"YOU TOLD HIM ABOUT ME?"_

"All good things I hope." Yosemite chuckled, not turning to face any of them.

"Well, I know I said I'd let you know if I ever met him, so... I decided to do you one better." Daffy replied. For a second, Lola looked up at him, her brow furrowed. She couldn't help but think back to that night...

 

**_"I don't get it. What does he have that I don't?"_**

 

The thought made her breath hitch in her throat, and a small part of her felt guilty. A bigger part felt confused.. But as she looked back and forth between Daffy and Bugs, she remembered what Daffy had told her that night _after_ his audition...  and an even bigger part of her felt _hopeful._

 

_'You're right, Daffy... he is nice.'_

 

"So," Bugs began, oblivious to the silent conversation. "Daffy here says you're something of a fan of me?"

 

For a moment, Lola was quiet. Then, her cheeks grew red, and she began to stammer.

 

"Pfff- I-I mean... I guess- Yeah, you're pretty, uh... heh... I....   I have posters of you all over my room." she at last admitted. She slumped against the counter, defeated.

 

Bugs couldn't help but laugh now. He was used to people acting like this around him, but Lola was on a whole other level.

 

_'But,'_ Bugs thought. _'At least she isn't scary.'_

 

A lot of fans had a habit of putting him on edge, even the ones who _weren't_ diehards. Bugs supposed _that_ was one of the things he liked about all the new people he had met recently... they didn't scare him. He didn't even know them that well yet... but they made him feel safe. Only a few people had managed to do that in his life.

 

But even though his new friends weren't scary... that didn't stop him being scared. And maybe... well, maybe that was worse. Maybe feeling safe around these people would be something he'd regret...

 

For a second, he glanced at Daffy. Then, Bugs felt his stomach tighten. He paused. He felt his whole body waver. Had he spoken in that moment, his voice would've surely cracked. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath; as deep as he could without making it obvious. When he opened his eyes again, he forced a smile onto his face along with them.

 

"Well, how's about a picture?" He beamed, willing the dampness in the corners of his eyes to disappear.

"Oh, yes!" Lola exclaimed. As quick as a flash, she pulled out her phone, and stretched her arm out to take a picture of the two of them. When it had been taken she pulled the screen right up to her face, a complete mass of giggles. Bugs shifted. There was a part of him that wanted to ask her to retake it- he wasn't sure whether his smile had looked genuine enough- but Lola would never allow him that chance. She was like a bolt of lightning (if lightning was composed of sugar, that is.)

 

"Can you take it this time?" She asked, handing her phone to Bugs. "I want people to _see_ that _you've_ taken it!"

"Sure." he obliged. Then, Lola gestured for Yosemite Sam and Daffy to get in the photo too.

"I wanna put it on The Jackrabbit's social media!" She beamed. Daffy hesitated, but stepped forwards anyway.

Lola held up a peace sign, Yosemite crossed his arms smugly, Bugs gave one of his signature smiles, and Daffy... what should he do? Truthfully, he was quite confused as to why Lola wanted him in the picture in the first place. He held no significance to The Jackrabbit as a business.... 

Lola could see Daffy dawdling, and without a second thought, she gripped him tightly and pulled him into the camera's view- forcing him alarmingly close to Bugs.

 

The picture was taken and the group relaxed in a matter of seconds... But Bugs hadn't missed it. And when Daffy pulled back and cleared his throat, he was completely frozen. He stayed, staring at the tiles on the floor for what felt like forever. He balled up his fists and clenched his teeth. He handed Lola her phone, his arm stiff, and turned his face away from everybody. Daffy opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted as Lola forced a cup into Bugs' hands.

 

"Okay, now look like you're drinking something!"

Bugs stared into the cup, taken aback.

"But it's empt-"

_"Just pretend!"_

 

Bugs shook his head, before twisting his mouth into a smile and holding the cup up, feigning enthusiasm.

 

Daffy blinked, his breath hitching for a moment. He couldn't _help_ but be reminded of his first encounter with Bugs at the theatre.

Daffy was powerless against his wandering thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder what Bugs had been drinking that day in the theatre... Was it a cup of hot chocolate? Or maybe it was just a regular cup of tea, or coffee, or.... Maybe wondering about this kind of stuff was weird...

 

 

_'I don't like him...'_   Daffy told himself... _'...Why are we even here?'_

 

 

When Lola finished taking the picture, she swiftly took the cup and thrust it into Yosemite's hands. She pushed her screen in Bugs face, smiling widely.

 

"Did you know The Jackrabbit has its own Snapchat geofilter?"

 

As Lola began tapping away feverishly, Yosemite raised the cup in the air.

 

"Speaking of drinks, would y'like one, Mr Bunny?" he asked. "It's on the house!"

"Oh, thank you, that'd be nice!" Bugs replied. Daffy shifted, and Yosemite gave him a look.

"How about you, Daffy?"

"Oh, uh.. sure. Thanks."

 

Yosemite huffed and retrieved another cup. But then, something broke the room's atmosphere. A shrill, out of place noise- the sound of a phone ringing. The sound made Bugs jump, and he fumbled to retrieve his phone- sure enough, it was his. He shielded it with his hand and answered it quickly, as if he didn't want anyone seeing the name on the screen. Daffy barely caught a flash of red and white.

 

"Hey, Fog. What's up?" Bugs asked, flustered.

**/"Hey, Bugs... Uh... Y'know how I had to visit the theatre today to make preparations for Monday?"**

"Yeah?"

On the other end of the line, there came a loud crash, prompting Bugs to flinch.

  **/"Well... I've got a bit of a... situation."**

"What do you mean?" Bugs was silent for a second, before placing his hand on his forehead. "Oh my god... You're serious?" He dragged his hand down his face and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"What's wrong?" Daffy asked, growing concerned. Bugs held up his hand, as if to say 'hold on.'

"Yeah, okay, I'll be right over. Don't worry about it, I'll be there as soon as I can... Huh-?" From the other end of the line there came what sounded like a question- in an unapologetically teasing tone. Bugs glanced at Daffy, and turned away. "Uh, No..?" Bugs was quiet again, before adopting a much more defensive tone. "If you say anything, I swear to god- Okay... Yeah, see ya."

 

Bugs brought the phone away from his ear, and a heavy sigh escaped his mouth.

 

"What was that about?" Lola asked.

"Fog-" Bugs turned to Lola and Yosemite. "He needs me to come and meet him at the theatre."

"What for?" Daffy continued.

 

"We've got..." Bugs winced. "...a pest problem."

 

❃❃❃

 

Five minutes and many skipped red-lights later, Daffy and Bugs were outside the Jones Theatre. Yosemite unlocked the doors of his car and the two men stepped out onto the sidewalk.

 

"Thank you, Yosemite." Bugs huffed, taken aback by the man's reckless driving.

"Yeah, thanks Sam." Daffy added.

"Don't mention it. I owed you one anyway.." Yosemite paused, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, before clearing his throat. "Well, good luck with whatever ya gotta deal with. I gotta get back to the shop."

 

And with that, Yosemite sped off, getting honked at by fellow drivers as he went.

 

Daffy followed Bugs to the back of the theatre to the Stage Door. As the pair raced inside, the blinding darkness and musty air hit them forcefully. They barely got a chance to adjust before they heard shouting coming from the direction of the stage.

 

"Kids, just stop touching stuff! You're gonna, I say you're break something!" Came a familiar voice. Then, there were three voices Daffy had never heard before.

 

**"Us? _Break_ something?"**

**"I am hurt, offended even! How could you think we'd _do_ such a thing?"**

**"Yeah! I only touched it a little bit! Like this!"**

Then, there came another loud crash. Bugs and Daffy winced.

 

"I don't even wanna know what it is that they broke..." Bugs uttered, rushing towards the source of the noise.

"They?" Daffy asked, following behind, confused beyond belief.

"Fog...?" Bugs shouted as the pair burst through the curtain. The scene that greeted them was one of utter chaos.

 

Broken pieces of wood and debris from unknown sources littered the stage, and sections of the velvet curtain were torn and mangled. And in the middle of it all was Foghorn, with three children clinging to him- one hanging from each arm, and another with her own arms wrapped around his neck. At that moment, the children's heads turned and wide smiles spread across each of their faces.

 

**_"Bugs!"_ ** They yelled, shrill voices ringing out across the theatre. There was only a flash of black and white as they sprinted towards the curtain and tackled Bugs to the ground in a tight hug, sending all four of them tumbling into the darkness. Daffy had to jump out of the way to avoid being knocked over himself.

 

"Guys-" Bugs sputtered, his voice muffled from being squeezed so hard. "I told you to stay at Warner Brothers..."

"We know." The tallest said, pulling a confident face that seemed all too familiar. "We're just so used to you visitin' us every day. It's lonely without you, y'know." There was a hint of sass in his voice, but that couldn't hide the fact that he was clinging to Bugs' arm like his life depended on it.

"Oh, we really missed you!" the smallest of them chimed- she was a cute little thing, with a pink skirt and a flower in her hair.

"Yeah! We couldn't _stand_ it!" Added the other boy, looking incredibly rascally in a blue sweatshirt and backwards red cap.

 

Bugs sighed, but when he hugged the three of them back, there wasn't the slightest trace of anger. He adjusted his position, sitting up so as to address the kids better.

 

"I missed you guys, too... Still, mind explaining why and how you're _here?"_

 

The three kids hopped up and clasped their hands together, each putting on fake displays of sadness.

 

"We were all alone." The tallest began, waving his arm dramatically.

"So alone." Added the girl, holding her heart.

_"Cold and alone."_  Said the boy in the cap, making a point of shivering. Bugs raised an eyebrow as he stood up. At this point, Daffy had taken to leaning against one of the huge speakers, watching the scene unfold in front of him.

"But we knew that Porky, Wile and Roadrunner were still at the studio!" The girl continued.

"So, when no one was looking, we snuck into the trunk of the limousine they were gonna be riding in!" The tallest said in a hushed tone. The other two children mimed being security guards, shining invisible flashlights as he snuck behind them. "We had plenty of snacks!"

"Aren't we just the smartest?" The boy in the cap asked, his tongue sticking out through his beaming smile.

 

The trio looked amazingly proud of themselves, as Bugs brought a hand to his forehead.

 

"We got confused by the interior of this place for a little while." said the tallest.

"But then we saw Foghorn-" said the girl.

"And then it was now!" said the red-capped boy.

 

"...Okay, I'll admit I'm impressed you managed to pull all that off without getting caught," Bugs replied. "But you know this creates a lot of problems, right?"

 

"If you've got problems going right," The tallest exclaimed, wrapping his arm around Bugs' neck. "Just go left!" He threw his arm to the left in a comical motion and began to giggle. But he was quickly quietened when Bugs removed his arm and placed him cross-legged on the floor, next to the other two kids. Bugs knelt down and began talking to them in a soft tone.

 

"I get that you wanted to see me... but who's gonna look after you while you're here?"

"Uh..." Now, the kids all fell silent. They looked at Bugs, and then at Foghorn, who was now holding back a section of the curtain, spilling light onto the dusty floor. The two of them shook their heads.

 

"We can't keep our eyes on you all the time. We're here for work, y'know."

"You're always working at the studio lot..." The boy in the cap said.

"You have time then..." The girl added.

"Yes, but there are other people at the studio lot." Foghorn continued. "Like Dr Scratchansniff and the nurse."  When he mentioned the nurse, the two boys practically seemed to melt. "Who's gonna, I say who's gonna look after you when we're all busy rehearsin'?"

"We can look after ourselves!" The girl replied triumphantly, pulling the boys up from the floor by the scruffs of their necks.

"Yeah!" the boy in the cap continued, puffing out his chest to show he was tough. The tallest, however, didn't join in- his attention had been stolen by something else; something none of the kids had noticed yet.

 

"Hey!" He exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "Who's _this?"_

 

Daffy barely had a half second to think before the kids had him surrounded.

 

"Hiya, mister!" The boy in the cap beamed, shaking his hand furiously.

"Hey, I like your feathers!" The girl grinned, twisting one from the top of Daffy's head round her finger.

"You were with Bugs," The tallest brought his hand to his chin and squinted. "But, _uuuuuuh_ , I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you some kind of press?"

At that, the girl gasped. She perched on top of the speaker and pursed her lips.

"I'm ready for my close up." she said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Guys, this is Daffy. He auditioned for the showcase, and he's one of the people who got through." Bugs smiled, gently prising the shorter boy away from Daffy's hand.

 

"H-Hi-" Daffy stammered, shaken up (both physically and metaphorically).

There came a collective _"ooooooh"_  from the kids.

"So that must mean you're good at singing and acting and stuff!" the boy in the cap beamed.

"I wanna hear you sing, Daffy!"  The girl pleaded.

"Yeah, sing something!" The tallest continued.

"SING! SING! SING! SING!" They began to chant eagerly, but Bugs was swift in pulling them away.

"Guys, _introduce yourselves."_  He whispered, unable to stop a chuckle from escaping his mouth. In an instant, the kids all began to grin.

 

"We're the Warner Brothers!" The two boys exclaimed.

" _And_ the Warner _Sister!"_  Added the girl, jumping eagerly between her brothers shoulders. Daffy cocked his head in the direction of the boys.

"Oh, like the studio?" he asked.

"Not really, but we don't have a choice." The tallest boy smirked. Bugs seemed to tense at that remark. "I'm Yakko!" he continued.

"And I'm Wakko!" said the boy in the cap.

"And my name's Dot!" The girl pulled on Daffy's beak so that they were face to face. "But call me Dotty and you die."

 

Daffy pulled back and shook his head, dizzy from the bundles of pure energy in front of him. Despite everything, he began to smile.

 

"Well, it's nice to meet you all." He said, shaking each of their hands, making sure to be cautious when it came to Wakko.

"Nice to meet you too!" The kids chimed in unison.

 

Bugs felt a smile spreading on his own face... Something about seeing the kids fawn over Daffy made him happier than even he himself realised. 

 

 

But the tender moment was short-lived.

 

 

All of a sudden, the horrific booming sound of doors being forced open rang out across the theatre, startling everybody on the stage. Everyone turned, including Foghorn, who dropped the curtain out of shock.

 

"Doctor- What are you- I-I say what are _you_ doing here?"

 

Stood in the aisle in front of the double doors was a man, old and scrawny, with thick glasses and deep set lines on every section of his face. Next to him stood a tall lady, very beautiful, in a full nurses outfit. Both of them had oversized nets clasped tightly in their fists.

 

"Alright!" The man yelled, making his way past the rows of red seats. "Where are zey?"

As Foghorn began poorly formulating some kind of lie, the group left in the dark behind the curtain started to whisper.

 

"Oh no, Scratchy's found us!" Dot exclaimed, sounding distraught.

"He's come to take us back to the studio!" Wakko added, gripping his ears.

"Oh Bugs, don't make us go with him!" Yakko begged, panicked sincerity in his eyes.

"We don't wanna get in trouble!" The three of them chimed. Bugs bit his lip. He looked at Yakko, then at Wakko, and then at Dot. He didn't want to send them off with Dr Scratchansniff if he would punish them when they got back... But they _couldn't_ stay here...

 

But Bugs didn't get the opportunity to think of a solution- as light began to flood the dusty floor, shining on the kids like an accusatory spotlight.

 

_"A-ha!_  Zere you are!" Dr Scratchansniff exclaimed, pointing a finger at the siblings. Without warning he darted forwards and swung his net- but the kids were quicker than he was. They yelped, and dashed away from his reach- and chose to hide behind Daffy. Daffy held his breath- but took on a defensive stance anyway.

 

"Ehhh, s'cuse me, Doc," Bugs began, trying his best to distract the doctor. He rested his elbow on the man's hunched shoulder nonchalantly. "Don'tcha think you're bein' a little hasty? What did these kids do to you?"

"Kids?!" Scratchansniff began, swatting Bugs' arm away. "Zese are not kids! Zey're monsters!" At that, all three of them stuck their tongues out, but stopped abruptly when the doctor turned around. "Zey ran away from the studio lot! Do you know how much time, effort, and gas money it has taken for us to follow you here?" He grumbled, addressing the kids now, practically staring right _through_ Daffy.

 

The doctor's face was red from effort and anger. Steam was billowing from the top of his head, and if he gripped the handle of his net any harder, it would've surely snapped in half. Bugs shifted. He took a step closer to the man, holding up his hands.

 

"Oh, doc, I'm sure they didn't mean any harm." He continued, his confidence wavering at just how angry he seemed to be. "Why don'tcha just put this net down, and we can talk this out, huh? Like adults?"

_"No!"_  The man yelled. "Zese kids need to be taught a lesson! How long until zey sneak away to another _country?!"_

 

At that, the kids ducked out of view, and emerged a few seconds later with sunglasses, cameras, maps and Hawaiian shirts.

 

_"Uuuuuuh,_ I'm thinkin' somewhere in the Caribbean." Yakko mumbled, as Wakko and Dot began to take pictures.

"Say _cheese!"_  Dot chimed, putting her camera right in the doctor's face. There came a loud _snap,_ and he yelped, blinded by the flash.

"Why you little... _NURSE!"_  He shrieked, clutching his eyes. As soon as he yelled her name, the nurse appeared at the curtain, net raised, eyebrows knitted together. Yakko and Wakko only had to look at her for a second, before their eyes popped, and they rushed at her, leaping into her arms.

_"HELLOOOO_  angry _NURSE!"_  They exclaimed, placing two gigantic kisses on either cheek.

"Y'know," Yakko continued, raising an eyebrow. "I always _liked_  feisty women!"

 

Suddenly, Dot appeared in front of the nurse. She smacked her brothers over the back of their heads, and tutted as they fell to the floor.

 

_"Boys."_  She lamented, rolling her eyes.

 

As the kids were distracted, Daffy slowly crept closer to Bugs, and leant to whisper in his ear.

 

"...Are they always like this..?"

 

Just hearing that question made Bugs feel exhausted.

 

"You have _no_ idea." He replied, dropping his shoulders and lolling his head back.

 

Yakko and Wakko slowly peeled themselves from the floor, scowling at their sister. Dot only offered a smirk in response. The kids were so distracted that they didn't even notice the nets being raised above two determined heads.

 

But Daffy did.

 

_"...Gotcha!"_ Scratchansniff yelled, as both he and the nurse brought down their nets with tremendous force.

 

Daffy reacted so quickly you barely saw him move. He pushed his way in front of them, grabbing the handle of the nurse's net and blocking the doctor's with his arm. The entire thing happened so suddenly, everyone involved had a shocked look plastered on their face. Scratchansniff paused. He turned his head, and stared at Daffy with curious anger in his eyes.

 

"And just _who_ are _you?"_ he asked.

"I-I'm-"

"Daffy." Yakko, Wakko, Dot and Bugs all replied. Daffy turned to look at the four of them. He looked at the kids; then at Bugs... and he felt a grin creep into the corner of his mouth. He turned back to the doctor.

"Yeah... what they said."

 

The doctor and the nurse shared a look. And for whatever reason- they lowered their nets.

Thankfully, the newfound silence that had befallen the group was broken, as Foghorn burst through the curtain.

 

"Alright," he began with a huff. "I've got a car coming to pick you guys up."

 

_"What?"_  The three kids complained.

"But- we didn't even get time to hang out with Bugs!" Yakko protested.

"Or you!" Wakko and Dot continued.

"Or anyone!"

The trio turned to look at Bugs, and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him.

"Oh, guys... I'm sorry. But, hey... at least we got to see each other!" Bugs knelt down, so he and the kids were face to face. "Now you won't have that long to wait until we're back at the studio!"

The Warner Siblings all pouted.

 

"Well... alright." Wakko sighed.

"I guess this is fine..." Continued Dot.

"But we wanna have a movie night as soon as you get back, okay!" Yakko pleaded.

"Oooh, with pizza!" Added Wakko.

"Definitely!" Dot exclaimed.

Bugs couldn't help but smile.

 

"Okay, it's a deal."

"Promise?" The kids asked in unison.

"Promise." Bugs replied, and he wrapped the trio in a tight hug. Yakko, who had his head over Bug's shoulder, began to speak a little quieter.

"Thank you, Bugs..."

Then, he lifted his arm, and pulled a startled Daffy into the hug by his wrist.

"And thank you, Daffy." All of the kids added.

Daffy froze for a second... but was quick to hug them all back; all the while feeling his face grow hot.

"You're welcome..."

 

Suddenly, there came a loud _ping._ The noise made the kids tense. Foghorn pulled out his phone, and read the message on his screen.

"The car's here, kids." He said.

The Warner's all sighed and stood up reluctantly. Foghorn let out a low chuckle.

 

"There's candy and soda waiting for you." he continued, with a somewhat forced grin.

Hearing this, the kids immediately perked up.

 

"Really?"

"Well why didn't ya _say so?"_

 

And they rushed off the stage and past the red seats, barrelling through the double doors like rockets. Foghorn and Bugs spluttered at just how easy they were to bribe.

 

❃❃❃

 

Each adult hurried to follow the kids outside. When they stepped into the warm air; it felt almost as if everything that had just happened had been placed carefully aside. As if the theatre intended to keep the tense yet tender experience safe inside its walls. In that moment, the pristine marble and red velvet had never felt so comforting.

Even the kids would've felt that way... if it wasn't for their newfound awe; which made itself known on their faces.

 

"A limo? For _us?"_

 

Sure enough, waiting for them right outside the theatre, was a limousine, sleek and black, with tinted windows and a gleam that would make Pepe Le Pew conscious of his smile. Yakko pulled at the door handle enthusiastically, sending it flying open. Inside there were icy blue neon lights, illuminating the fancy leather seats. There was a rack surrounded by ice that looked as if might've once contained alcohol; but now it was filled with sodas of all varieties. Next to those was a pile of snacks- candy, chocolate, chips, popcorn... everything and anything three preteen balls of energy could ask for.

 

Foghorn let out a hearty chuckle.

 

"That good enough for you kids?" he jested, folding his arms.

"Boy, is it!" Wakko exclaimed, already shoving a handful of gummy worms into his mouth. At that point, the kids leapt at Foghorn. They clung to him and began squeezing him tightly.

"Thank you!" They chimed. For a moment, each of them let go, but they were quick to hug him again, this time a lot more sincerely.

 

"And this is for being awesome." Dot continued.

"And not just because y'gave us this stuff." Yakko added, gesturing to the open limousine door.

"Ah well, thank y'kiddos." Foghorn grinned, ruffling the fur on the tops of Yakko and Wakko's heads. Dot responded to this by fluffing the feathers on the top of Foghorn's _own_ head, causing each of them to explode with laughter. Foghorn lunged to try and tickle them, but they yelped and darted over his shoulder out of his reach. Daffy felt something tug in his chest as he watched it unfold. Something about the unspoken care hidden in each action reminded him of how his Grandfather used to act with _him_ when _he_ was younger. Daffy took a deep breath, caught off guard as the kids rushed towards him and Bugs, squeezing them both tightly one last time.

 

"Bye, Bugs! Bye Daffy! Bye Fog!" They all chimed sweetly, as they each hopped into the limousine and shut the door firmly behind them.

 

Then, the driver's window began to roll down. Behind the steering wheel sat an exhausted looking man. Even his slow blinks seemed painful over the purple bags under his eyes.

 

"Y'better be tipping me for this." He drawled, placing huge ear-defenders over his ears as he started up the limo. All Foghorn could muster was a nervous grin.

Just before the limo began to pull away, the passengers window began to roll down, and Yakko, Wakko and Dot each popped out their heads.

 

"Bye Scratchy! And _GOODBYYYYYYE,_ NURSE!" They exclaimed, sticking out their tongues as the limo pulled away, incessant laughter hardly fading as the vehicle drove further out of view. Just before it disappeared, Bugs seemed to have remembered something. He ran to the edge of the sidewalk, cupping his hands around his mouth.

 

_"Make sure to brush your teeth!"_  He yelled, but the limousine was probably too far away now for the kids to hear him. He sighed, and turned to face Scratchansniff and the Nurse. "If you're going to try and scold them when you get back, just... make sure they've got toothpaste." Bugs paused. He gave a small laugh, which may or may not have had a hint of anger. "Or tell them to go to sleep at a decent time. They won't like that."

 

"They have to have something said to them." The nurse piped up, catching everyone off guard for a moment, due to her previously staying completely silent. "Otherwise how will they learn?"

Bugs was quiet for a moment. He looked up.

 

"They behave for _me._ Doesn't that tell you something?"

 

Then, Foghorn placed a hand on Bugs' shoulder. The two shared a look; and began to walk back towards the theatre, Daffy trailing behind them.

Dr. Scratchansniff placed a hand on his chin, thinking. Then, he turned, betrayal on his face.

 

"Hey! So does zis mean we have to drive all ze way back to Warner Brothers? We drove all ze way here for _nothing?"_

 

But he didn't receive an answer, as Bugs, Foghorn, and Daffy disappeared into the theatre, the door slamming shut behind them.

 

A cold gust of wind blew over the Doctor and the Nurse, as they just stood there, defeated. The Doctor let out a whimper, as he headed towards his car, the disgracefully high cost of gas money dancing in his head.

 

❃❃❃

 

Bugs, Daffy and Foghorn stood in the lobby. Foghorn chuckled.

 

"Well, that happened."

Bugs smiled, as Foghorn crossed his arms.

 

"Well, I guess I should... clean up the mess." He winced, as he pondered about how he was going to explain how the curtain got damaged.

"Oh, let me help you-" Bugs began.

"No, it's okay Bugs, I got it. We can go back to the hotel once I'm done. Just sit an' relax, yeah? I'm, I say I'm the one who dragged y'here."

"Mm... okay." Bugs shifted, as Foghorn strutted back through the double doors, disappearing past the red seats.

 

For a moment, there was silence. Only the cars outside and the distant sound of a ticking clock could be heard. Bugs turned, and saw Daffy stood there, motionless, with one eyebrow raised in his direction. Bugs started to smile. Then he started to giggle. Then he started to laugh.

 

No amount of cold Fall air could rid Daffy of the warmth that laugh made him feel.

 

Bugs brought his hand to his face, wiping away a tear that had formed in his eye.

 

"Sorry-" He spluttered. "It just hit me how _bizarre_ that must've been for you." He bent over and gripped his knees, struggling to stop.

Daffy couldn't help but laugh a little himself.

 

"So..." He began. "Who _were_ those kids? Were they like- your relatives or something?"

 

Bugs looked up, his laughter subsiding.

 

"No- Uh..." Bugs cleared his throat, standing up straight. "They're um... They..." Daffy cocked his head. "I... I babysit them, sometimes. Yeah. That's it.."

"Oh.." Daffy blinked. "So... they just kinda... hang out at Warner Brothers?"

"Mhm... I guess you could say that."

"So... are they like... the kids of someone who works there?"

 

Bugs froze, his eyes darting around the room for a distraction.

 

"I like these flowers, aren't they nice? Y'don't see this type a lot." He blurted, moving towards a tall vase in the corner of the room, gesturing towards the flowers inside. "What are these, carnations? Do carnations grow around here?"

 

"Bugs..?"

 

The pair grew silent. Bugs exhaled heavily.

 

"Daffy..." he paused. "Those kids, they-"

 

But Bugs was saved from needing to form a response by a voice coming from behind him.

 

"Alrighty, I'm all done." Foghorn chimed. Both Bugs and Daffy turned to look at him. "What've you two been talkin' about?"

"Not a lot..." Bugs replied, moving away from the vase. "Are you ready to go then, Fog?"

"Well- Yeah-" Foghorn raised an eyebrow. "Why are ya bein so hasty, Bugs? Are you not feelin' well?"

 

Bugs looked down.

 

"I just... I wanna go."

 

"Well..." Foghorn paused. "Okay... Oh, wait, before I forget-!" Then, he leaned forwards, and whispered something in Bugs' ear, before pressing something into his hand.

"Oh, right-!" Bugs turned to Daffy, "This is yours, isn't it?" And he held up the USB he had brought to the theatre with him on the day of the auditions.

"Y-yes-" Daffy replied, letting Bugs place the USB into his hand. "Thank you."

"No problem, Daffy." And Bugs gave a weak smile.

 

Daffy decided not to press the previous issue any further.

 

The trio headed outside once again, as Foghorn made a call for a car to come and pick them up.

 

Bugs and Daffy stood in silence the entire time. Bugs fidgeted with the shopping bag in his hands (which had only been remembered at the last minute.)

 

"Um- Daffy-" he began. "Do... Do you want us to drop you at your house? Or.. at The Jackrabbit or something?"

"Oh- that's okay... I can walk... I really don't mind..."

"But it's starting to get colder... are you sure?"

And as if the weather was listening, a great gust of wind blew past them, sending a flurry of leaves into the air.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You should get yourself inside where it's warm."

Bugs smirked.

"You should too."

Daffy smiled back.

"I'm fine."

 

Suddenly, a very expensive looking car swerved around the corner, and began driving up to where the men were stood. Bugs and Foghorn took a step closer to the road, before Daffy reached out his hand.

 

"Hey, Bugs- Before you go- Uh..."

"Yeah..?"

"Can I... Can I have your number..?" Bugs fell silent for a second, and felt his face grow hot. "O-Only so I can contact you about the showcase- I understand if you don't want to- Y'know, you're... I promise I wont do anything with it-"

"Of course you can-" Bugs answered, unable to prevent a chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Yeah..?"

"On one condition, though..."

 

Daffy swallowed.

 

"What..?"

 

"You give me yours first." Bugs smirked.

 

❃❃❃

 

"Hey~" At 6:30, as the sky was beginning to prematurely grow dark, Daffy's phone lit up with a text from Bugs. "Did you see those pictures Lola put up?"

 

Daffy was quick to reply.

 

"Yeah, I did. It was the first thing I did when I got home."

 

"Same here **^^** Jeez.. I look terrible in them."

 

"No you don't."

 

" **:P** "

 

"Hey, did you hear back about the Warner kids?"

 

"Oh, yeah! They're fine. They're asleep now.

Well, apparently **;^^** I guess today really did tire them out."

 

"That's good.... Did they brush their teeth then?"

 

"Yeah, they did **xp** "

 

 

For a moment, the pair's phones both fell silent. But before long, Daffy received another text.

 

 

"Hey, Daffy... doesn't the sky look nice right now?"

 

"I dunno, I haven't looked."

 

"Go look!"

 

Daffy laughed, reluctantly got up from his sofa, and headed towards the window. As he opened the blinds and looked up, his mouth nearly fell open at what he saw.

The sun was slowly but surely disappearing behind the clouds, and the moon was faded, as if it was waking up from a long slumber. The sky was a beautiful mess of orange and blue, like an oil painting, and if Daffy looked hard enough, he swore he could see stars beginning to reveal themselves on the canvas. The sky looked so vast; so wondrous... as if the clouds were ready to wrap people in soft, airy hugs, and never, ever let go.

 

He blinked. He smiled.

 

"Wow... It is pretty."

 

"Right?"

 

Again, there was silence. Then,

 

"Daffy?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I kinda wish we were watching the sky together."

 

Daffy paused.

 

"We are, aren't we?"

 

 

And in that moment, things just felt right. As if the masterpiece of a sky had healing powers beyond comprehension. The sky was grand- everyone knew it. Bugs, Daffy, Foghorn, The Warner Siblings, Marvin, Sylvester, Pepe, Lola, Yosemite.... The sky connected all of them. Maybe it was meant to be like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

As the orange and the blue started to mix together into the familiar colour of the night sky, Bugs rolled over, turning away from the city skyline only a few feet from his bed. As the joyful sounds of his friends voices echoed through the corridor, muffled by the locked door, he clutched his cold shoulders, giving a heavy sigh... and tried to ignore the tears filling his eyes.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much is happening in Bugs and Daffy's lives...
> 
> Will Yosemite and Lola meet everyone else? Who really are the Warner Siblings?  
> What significance does Tina have..?
> 
>  
> 
> (-‿◦)
> 
> (I love you guys so much, and I hope you're enjoying this fic! ♡)


	10. French Toast

It was the early hours of Monday morning on the 9th of October. A day when the sky was a suffocating grey, and the clouds clung to the skyscrapers like dust-covered cobwebs. The city was sleepy and silent, the only noises being those of the cars on their daily commutes, and a few hasty footsteps on damp concrete. The air was crisp, and a certain ethereal solemness befell all who breathed it in.

 

And high above the damp street, up at the very top of a prestigious hotel, where his windows mingled with the cobweb clouds, a certain rabbit was caught between the realms of sleep and wakefulness. Bugs opened his eyes, his mind and body returning to the real world; the world of callous clouds and cracked concrete. Slowly, but ever so surely, his misty thoughts began to fade into clearer ones. He ran his hands over his bed sheets, the expensive material crinkling under his grasp. They were cold and crisp, as if he hadn't slept underneath them at all. His eyes began to wander, and he caught a glimpse of the skyline through his window. When he saw how early it appeared to still be, he breathed deeply, and contemplated rolling over.

 

But before he could make that decision, something snapped in his mind. The snap seemed to echo, like his mind and body were empty caverns. He gasped, and the sharp intake of breath felt like a bullet to his chest. His eyes shot open. He sat bolt upright. His once steady breathing had quickened now, and he scrambled out of bed, throwing the covers away forcefully. He threw open the door to his room and sprinted into the hallway, the plush carpet masking his pummelling footsteps. He bolted to the next room closest to his, and pressed his ear against the door, struggling to listen over the sound of his own heaving. He could hear his own heart pounding as he tried desperately to listen for something on the other side. The heavy silence seemed to last for hours, when all of a sudden-

 

**_"Snoooooooore."_ **

 

There came an almost obnoxiously loud snore, that just about rattled the entire wall, sending vibrations through Bugs' cheek. His eyes widened, and he only needed to take it in for a second before something that resembled a chuckle escaped his mouth. A certain sense of reassurance washed over him. He breathed out, and pulled himself away from the door.

 

Yep, Foghorn was there alright.

 

Then, he ventured even further down the hall, to a room that was much more ornate than most in the modern hotel. The door was like something you'd see in a French home, and there was an arrangement of roses on the cabinet outside of it- very much suited for who was occupying the room. Once again, Bugs leaned in close and began to listen, but it didn't take him long at all to catch something this time. Almost as soon as he had began listening, Bugs could hear the heavily-accented voice of his friend Pepe start to sing- loud and confident- as well as the distant sound of running water. Bugs couldn't stop himself from spluttering this time... but it didn't feel nice. His sudden bout of anxiety and heavy breathing had made his chest hurt, and laughing made it feel even worse. Bugs clenched his teeth, silently stepping over to the other side of the hallway.

 

This time, he knelt down on his knees, and put his ear up (or really, _down),_ to a spectacularly tiny door. He listened, and quickly began to pick up the sound of feet scuttering along a hard floor, and the soft sound of someone humming to themselves. Speedy had surely been awake for _at least_ an hour already. Bugs couldn't remember the last time he woke up feeling refreshed- not like his proactive friend, who had no idea he was even at his door. Bugs placed a hand on his knee and stood up, trying to ignore his aching body. He couldn't bring himself to try and check on his other friends- their rooms were on a different floor, and he felt too exhausted to even walk upstairs- although the nagging in the back of his mind wouldn't go away until he saw them at breakfast. And the nagging made him feel sick, in the deepest part of his stomach.

 

Bugs halfheartedly dragged himself down the hall and back into his room. When the door clicked shut behind him, he let out a huge sigh, that rattled in his chest and hurt every muscle. He stepped towards his bed and fell down on it face first, squeezing his eyes shut. His back rose and fell harshly, as he tried his best to get his breathing back to normal. Everything was painful. It felt like he couldn't breathe, and yet all he seemed to be able to do was sigh, and he felt as if a little piece of him was lost with every exhale.

 

Bugs knew this had to stop. But he also knew it probably never would.

 

He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes, and he gripped the bed sheets fiercely, screaming at himself in his head.

 

 

Just then, there came a sudden knocking at his door. It wasn't harsh by any means, but it still startled him all the same, registering in his tired mind as three times louder than it actually was.

 

"Hey, Bugs?" Came a familiar voice. "You awake?"

"Y-yeah!" Bugs called out, turning over and landing his feet on the floor. "Just a sec!"

 

He rubbed his eyes and forced himself towards the door. He opened it cautiously, and was greeted by a somewhat dishevelled looking Foghorn Leghorn. His eyes were only half open, and it was clear the feathers on his head had been raked through in an attempt to tidy them up. The only thing he was missing was a coffee mug.

 

"Mornin', Bugs." He yawned, his beak practically distorting from the very force of it.

"And good mornin' to you." Bugs replied, trying to smile. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Like a log. But I'm still tired..." Inside, Bugs was snickering. Oh, what Foghorn would say if he knew how loudly he snored. "What about you, kid?"

 

And Bugs didn't know how to answer that question. He shifted.

 

"I mean... I _slept_ fine. But..."

 

And suddenly, Foghorn seemed to wake up. He paused. He looked at Bugs intently.

 

"I... didn't wake you up... did I?" Bugs didn't look up. He shook his head. Foghorn held his breath. "Bugs, why didn't... I say, why didn't you wake me? You know you could've knocked."

 

Bugs seemed to lock up at that remark. His head drooped.

 

"Fog... you and me both know it's getting old. Too old. _I'm_ getting too old." His words came out as a harsh hiss... Not yelling at Foghorn, but rather, at _himself._   "I'm not a kid anymore. We're _both_ adults! I can't keep bothering you with it. It's not fair..." For a second, he got quieter. Then he gave a harsh laugh, the tears in his eyes forcing it to waver. "It's every single day! When's it going to stop? I want it to stop..!"

 

Foghorn felt his heart crumple like paper. He placed his hands on Bugs' shoulders.

 

"Bugs... It will. You've gotten so much better. Trust me when I say that, okay?" But Bugs didn't reply. Foghorn held his breath, but as he saw the tears start to fall down Bugs' cheeks, he didn't hesitate for another second to pull him into a hug. Bugs was quick to hug him back, gripping tightly, like his life depended on it. After a while, Foghorn pulled back, just enough so they were face to face. "Hey.. don't cry, now. The others will be wonderin' why you've got a red face."

 

And for a second, Bugs wasn't a celebrity anymore. He wasn't a star on the walk of fame. He wasn't the person everyone wanted to be... He was just Bugs, the kid who liked to chase butterflies and run down grassy hills. The kid Foghorn cared about too much to leave with a sad face.

Foghorn smiled, and brushed his hand over Bugs' head, ruffling his fur into a fluffy peak. Bugs groaned in protest, complaining that it was _already_ messy enough. But he wasn't mad. Not one bit. They could never be mad at each other.

 

And for a second, they were both 15 years younger.

 

They both shared a look. And they both began to smile.

 

And it was perfect timing too, as they heard a distinctive _click_ from somewhere down the hall, and the approaching figure of their friend Pepe grew clearer.

 

"Bonjour mes amis!" He announced, his refreshed and flowery voice a stark contrast to those of his friends.

"Good morning, Pepe." Foghorn replied.

"You're chipper this morning." Bugs continued, rubbing his eyes, trying to mask the redness that was already present.

"Ah, yes. I do love mornings. I wish to enjoy them as much as possible. That is why I'm an early riser!" He chimed, giving a pearly white smile, his delicately styled hair bouncing as he moved. Bugs let out a strained yawn.

"I'll never understand why you brush your teeth before you eat breakfast."

 

Pepe paused. Then, he smirked.

 

"Ah, my sleepy friend, do you not know that _l'acte de faire l'amour_ is sweeter in the morning? What if I had a guest in my room? What if I were to make breakfast for them? I merely strive to impress." And he gave a wink. Bugs frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.

"You need a cold shower more than anything else.."

 

But the playfully judgemental moment was short lived, as a cloud of dust was suddenly kicked up in the trio's faces, and Speedy Gonzales raced down the hall with a triumphant whoop.

 

"You may have beaten me yesterday, Pepe, but I call dibs on the French Toast this morning!" And as quickly as the dust cloud had appeared, it was gone, with the distinctive chanting of their mousy friend disappearing into the distance.

"Hey! You are not playing fair! I love the little strawberries they put on top!" And with a loud _"hmph!",_ Pepe was running, pursuing the French Toast thief.

 

And just then, as if on cue, the ceiling right above their heads began to rattle, as there came another pair of pummelling footsteps, and the unmistakable _"meep meep!"_ of someone who also had their eyes on a certain breakfast food. And if they listened closely, they could hear someone else, huffing and stammering, whining that _"the syrup I-I-I-s my favourite part!"_

 

When they were alone in the hall once again, Bugs and Foghorn fell silent. They gave each other a look. And they began to laugh. Bugs felt a strange sense of reassurance... he preferred pancakes, anyway. And Foghorn could've swore he felt tears well in his eyes.

 

Maybe the kids inside each of them had never even left.

 

❃❃❃

 

Now it was later in the morning, and The Jones theatre stood in it's regular proud stance, towering above the street, almost blending in with the fog surrounding it's tall white walls. If you looked through the windows you could see the lobby, dark and empty, even making the luxurious red carpet look lonely. And sat on the steps leading up to the doors, a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, was Daffy. His thumb was starting to feel numb from constantly switching his screen on and off, but he couldn't help it.

 

"Where are they? I'm never early for anything..." He muttered to himself. "Unless..? Maybe I'm super _late?_ Is my phone wrong?" Daffy glanced back into the eerie darkness of the lobby. He checked his phone again- 10:00 AM. Exactly the time they were supposed to meet. At least a _few_ people should've been here by now... and he would've expected those from Warner Brothers to have been here before anyone else.

 

And yet, there Daffy was, sat all alone on the cold steps, the frigid fall wind beating at his arms. He took another sip of his coffee. It was the only thing in the world that seemed warm.

 

Daffy stared at his screen, his thumb hovering over the keyboard.

 

'Would... Would it be inappropriate to message him right now?" Daffy dragged his thumb down his screen, glancing at the last conversation he and Bugs had had over text..

 

Daffy imagined that Bugs must've been texting him in the midst of something extremely luxurious... Maybe he had been watching the sunset on the roof terrace of his hotel, sipping alcohol with too many zeros on the end of the price... 

Perhaps Bugs and the other actors were all eating breakfast in their fancy hotel right now, and that's why they were late... was it fashionable for actors to be late? Daffy had heard the phrase "fashionably late" before, but did it apply here..?

 

"I guess one text wouldn't hurt..."

 

Daffy typed in the letters slowly, holding his breath...

 

 

 

"Hi."

 

 

 

Daffy looked up, startled.

There was Bugs, stood in front of him with his hands on his knees, smiling sweetly.

 

"Meep meep!" Came the sound of The Roadrunner, racing past everyone else with a set of keys balanced on the tip of his beak.

"Mornin', son!" Foghorn grinned.

"Oh, hello, Mr Duck." added Porky with a polite wave.

 

 

"Sorry we're late." Bugs lamented. "The traffic was bad."

 

 

"D-don't worry about it..."

 

❃❃❃

 

 

 "Welp," Foghorn Leghorn huffed heartily, and placed his hands on his hips with purpose. "Mornin everyone!"

 

And yes, by this time, everyone had shown up, all gathered on the stage in anticipation. Marvin, Michigan, Owl Jolson, Taz, Granny, Tweety and...

 

Well, Sylvester was there. But you wouldn't be blamed for not realising that, as he had taken to hiding behind Granny as soon as he caught the half-lidded gaze of a certain skunk.

 

 _'What is wrong with this guy..? I've never met someone so forward in my life.'_ He thought to himself.

 

"Now, today's gonna be kind of like an orientation. We'll, I say, we'll all get used to the theatre, play some team building games, and just take some time to get to know each other a little better." As Foghorn was talking, Bugs let out a strained yawn. He hid it well, but not well enough.. Daffy only subtly raised an eyebrow in his direction as a response. "Now," Foghorn continued. "Let's take some time to answer any questions you might have. Does anyone have any?"

 

As if on cue, Pepe began to raise his hand.

 

"Put your hand down, Pepe." Fog responded sharply, before it was even all the way up.

"I was just just going to ask the lovely-"

 

Speedy immediately jumped up, perching on Pepe's shoulder and clamping a hand over his mouth.

 

"Cállate, idiota. There's a kid in the room." he hissed.

 

But Owl Jolson was distracted, gently stroking the velvet curtain with a look of awe on his face, and he looked up innocently, unaware of the conversation.

 

Speedy and Pepe shared a look, and as Speedy hopped down from his shoulder, he heard Pepe mutter:

 

"You ate all the french toast..."

 

Speedy smirked.

 

"You snooze, you lose."

 

And Pepe kicked him in retaliation, only lightly, but it was enough to send the little mouse tumbling to the floor with a yelp.

 

"Alright you two, knock it, I say, knock it off." Foghorn sighed. Then, he straightened his back, stepping forwards. "Does anyone _else_   have any questions?"

 

 

Then, Granny raised her hand.

 

 

"I'm sorry if this may sound strange, but I was just curious... Why did you handle selecting the winners in such a way? Why not send everyone home and inform the winners over the phone? And why did you not broadcast the auditions?"

 

"Yeah..?" A few of the others piped up in agreement.

 

"I would've thought Warner Brothers would've loved to film everyone."

 

 

For a second, the actors paused. Then they smiled. Even Bugs.

 

 

"Well..." Foghorn began. "That's just... how we would've done it years ago. I mean, in our days as a drama group... There were, I say, there were less people than there are here today." Foghorn gestured to his fellow actors around him. "It was just us, and..."

 

And everyone fell silent. The faces of the actors dropped, and they all shared a look..

 

"...And we liked it like that!" Pepe continued.

"W-We had to fight to ban the camera crew from stepping foot inside the theatre." Said Porky, snorting with laughter.

"We came to a compromise and said they could stay outside." Speedy added.

"Back when it was just us, it was easier to get everyone together at the end of the day and share the results that way." Bugs piped up.

"Yeah!" Roadrunner and Wile both signed, nodding in agreement.

"Guess you could say nostalgia took us over..." Foghorn said, scratching the back of his neck. He let out a low giggle. "Wanna know, I say, wanna know how we let the reception lady know when each audition was over?   One of us just texted her. Then she'd make an announcement over the speakers."

 

 

And then everyone started to laugh. Even Sylvester let his guard down.

 

 

 

 Daffy looked at the A-List actors holding their stomachs in pure joy in front of him...

 

 

 

> **_"Sometimes it's fun being unprofessional..."_ **

 

 

He was confused, but...

 

 

...He smiled.

 

Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad.

 

 

 

Foghorn huffed, stretching his back, his cheeks tender from smiling so widely.

 

 

 

 "Alright. Now, who wants a tour of the theatre?"

 

 _"Me!"_ Owl Jolson beamed, jumping up and down.

 

"That would be nice..." Marvin simpered, his eyes twinkling.

 

"Well, follow me!" Foghorn grinned, strutting in front of everyone and gesturing for them to follow him. "Then we'll play some drama games. I'm sure, I say, I'm sure they'll get even more laughter out of ya!"

 

 

And as the group began to follow Foghorn off into the theatre, Daffy suddenly felt something tug on his arm.

He looked up.

 

 

"You're gonna enjoy it with us." Bugs insisted sweetly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter..? Yes, but it benefit's storytelling. Trust me.
> 
>  
> 
> Asdfghjkl. Writers block has kind of screwed me over recently. All of the previous chapters were pre-written, so now every chapter is going to be new writing. I'm kinda scared, but I hope you continue to enjoy this fic!
> 
> I'm trying my best ^^ ♡


	11. A... Sleepover??

**Week 1, Day 1**

 

 

The Warner Brothers actors had all been well acquainted with the theatre by the owner, so they were more than capable of showing everyone else around. People were gripping each other tightly, the excitement setting in that they were really going to be performing here soon.

 

It didn't even feel real. It was all happening so fast- here they were, leisurely walking around a theatre, being guided by some of the most successful actors in history. It was like it was all a dream- as if they were going to blink and suddenly they'd be in their beds, the memories of the people around them fading away. But it was real. The theatre, the people... it wasn't a dream, it was  _reality._

 

At least... that's how Daffy felt. He couldn't be sure of anyone else.

 

Sylvester and Granny had their arms linked, Tweety perched on her shoulder, while she lamented about how lovely the architecture was. Marvin ran to the railings of the balcony seats and leaned over, standing on his tiptoes. The stage with it's velvet curtains looked like a dollhouse from this high up. It would've made his stomach turn if he wasn't already accustomed to much larger heights. He turned to Bugs, starry-eyed.

 

"This is the biggest theatre I've ever seen!" He exclaimed, with the tone someone might use talking to a close friend.

 

Daffy stood still. He didn't know why, but the way everyone was acting seemed... off. To him, at least.

It was hard to explain.

Everyone was so... calm?

 

 

_'How can they possibly be calm? They're all acting like this is normal!'_   He thought. _'Do they even know who these people **are?'**_

 

 

He looked towards Bugs, mixed memories beginning to flood his mind in contradicting waves.

 

 

Memories of lying awake at night seething with rage were clashing with memories of staring at the sunset and letting his mind wander.

 

He'd always imagined the day he met the fabled "Bugs Bunny". Outright aggression had never crossed his mind, but he had definitely fantasied about sauntering past him with a smug expression, stealing all the attention, replacing him in the role of...

The role of....

 

....What had Bugs Bunny been in again..?

 

..Was he like the others, where he was just _himself_   in exaggerated cartoons..? Or... did he put on costumes and pretend to be different characters?

 

And... how many cartoons had he been in, exactly..? It _had_   to be a considerable amount... right? Or was he just THAT amazing that he only needed to star in one or two things to become so famous?

 

Daffy supposed, whatever the number was, that it had to be pretty impressive for someone Bugs' age....

 

 

Um... And... how old was he, again...?

 

 

Daffy blinked, blurry eyes staring at the man he had so many conflicting feelings about, watching him chat away to the strangers around him joyfully.

 

 

 

_'..._ **I'm** _the one who doesn't know who you are...'_

 

 

 

** Week 1, Day 2 **

 

 

"Alright now, I think, I say I think it'd be a good idea for us to spend some time doing some acting workshops. Get a feel for how to act in different scenes, m'kay?" 

 

And that they did.

 

Foghorn strategically paired everyone up, trying to put actors with newbies. Marvin and Speedy, Owl Jolson and Porky, Granny and Wile, Bugs and... and Daffy.

 

Bugs shot Foghorn a desperate look, as if to say, **_"why?"_**

And as Pepe skulked over to his place with Taz, he too gave Foghorn a look, muttering under his breathteasingly: _"Favouritism.."_

 

 

 

  **Week 1, Day 3**

 

 

"What?! You've _gotta_  be kidding me!" Foghorn yelled, gripping his phone desperately. Then, the line went silent, and he grumbled. "Well, that's just **great."**

"What happened, Fog?" Bugs asked cautiously, everyone else listening intently behind him.

 

"Some travelling show picked up Michigan and says that he's performing with _them_  now!"

 

**"Wait, _what?"_**

Even Wile and Roadrunner held up matching signs in shocked response.

 

"He tried to get him to sing while I was on the line, but he was completely _silent._ And the guy, I say the guy sounded like a total _sleazeball._ Nothing but a _charlatan."_ Foghorn clenched his teeth, taking a deep breath. "But.. It's okay. This is fine... We can work around this...."

 

 

 

** Week 1, Day 4 **

 

 

"Um... sir?"

 

Foghorn turned and saw Marvin, stood with his hands behind his back, looking like he was trying to be as polite as possible. Foghorn gave a deep laugh.

 

"Ya don't have to be all formal, son. Foghorn'll do. Now, whats, I say whats wrong?"

 

Marvin chuckled nervously.

 

"Um, Foghorn... It's not that I have an issue with the workshops and team-building exercises we've been doing- I-I think they're really fun! But I was just wondering... is there any chance we could... talk more about what the showcase is going to be like..? I'm just a little concerned.. I'd like to know what I'm going to be doing in front of so many people... And don't we need to start rehearsing?"

 

But Foghorn said nothing. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak, but he stayed silent.

 

"Uh... heh, well, y'see... We haven't, uh-"

 

_"Fog!"_   Came a shout, putting an abrupt stop to the conversation. "You're gonna wanna hear this!"

 

Foghorn and Marvin both dashed out to the lobby, and saw everyone crowded around the radio on the receptionists desk. And through the radio came the distinctive singing voice of a certain Owl.

As a matter of fact, they _were_ missing someone that day...

 

"So _that's_ where he's been? _Singing at the radio station?"_  

"There's more to it," Speedy said. "Apparently his parents didn't even know he'd auditioned with us. So they made him stay home when they found out."

"And just to spite them he..?"

"He saw they were having a singing competition at the radio station and went for it." Bugs explained.

"Everyone loves him!" Granny chimed.

 

 

Foghorn tensed up, furrowing his brow. He forced air out of his mouth in an attempt to act calm.

 

"That's okay. I'm glad the kid's happy." He tried to smile, placing his hands on his hips. "We'll just have to do the showcase with... us."

 

And he plodded away, mumbling something under his breath.

 

 

 

**Week 1, Day 5**

 

 

 "And here are all of the confirmed winners of the competition held by Warner Brothers!" a TV reporter beamed, his pearly white teeth seeming just slightly too big for his mouth. "We've all been waiting a _very_ long time to have a second look at these lucky, lucky people! And here they are, ready to chat with us!"

 

It had taken a lot of persuading, and maybe a bribe or two, but Foghorn had convinced the Paparazzi to stay well away from the theatre. He didn't feel like the newbies would be well prepared enough for all the flashing lights and avalanches of questions. Still, he thought it would be beneficial for the press to report at least a little bit on what was happening. He had admitted (reluctantly), that it _was_ a pretty big deal. The world had new faces to gawk at and obsess over... but he'd wanted to ease them into it. And even though there wasn't a massive crowd, the TV crew weren't exactly any better.

 

The reporter had forced everyone out of the theatre, and had the camera inches away from the winners faces. He was loud, obnoxiously excited, and kept asking a whole manner of difficult questions.

 

_"So, what made you decide to audition?"_

_"Who is your favourite, out of the actors you're spending time with?"_

_"Do you feel as if their fame is making it harder to bond with them?"_

_"When will tickets be available for the showcase?"_

_"Can you give us any insight on what the performances are going to be like?"_

 

 

Daffy could only wince at the questions, and at what Lola and Yosemite would think if they saw his uncomfortable expression.

 

 

**"Okay!** Well this, I say, this has been fun, but we _really_ have to get back to rehearsals." Foghorn gulped, looking over the sea of uneasy faces. "Yeah... got some... _really important rehearsals_  to be getting back to. So... See ya!"

 

And quick as he could, he ushered everyone back into the theatre, slamming the doors in the beaming faces of the TV crew.

 

 

When they were back in the lobby, Foghorn sighed, everyone around him standing dizzy and tense, frazzled by the enthusiastic reporter and the questions they couldn't answer. Foghorn fell back onto one of the fancy sofas, squeezing the bridge of his beak.

 

 

"Rehearsals. _Right."_   Wile signed, raising an eyebrow.

"We're never gonna be able to put on a showcase if we can't even decide how we're gonna do it.." Tweety Bird exclaimed.

"We can't just keep doing workshops and drama exercises forever.." Pepe piped up, nodding in agreement.

 

"Things were way more simple back in the day... I didn't realise it was going to be this difficult..." Foghorn mumbled.

 

The Warner Brothers actors all looked at each other and winced. 

 

"..How about we just let them perform what they did in their auditions? Then we could pick our own stuff too?" Bugs suggested.

"That's all well and good, Bugs, but almost everyone _sang_ for their auditions." Foghorn turned to the newbies. "Warner Brothers said they want proof you guys can actually act. And unless I force you all into a performance of Hamlet or somethin, I don't, I say I don't know how we're gonna do that."

 

Pfft. Everyone found the notion to be quite silly. They still understood, but really, why would they be here if they weren't good enough? Surely Warner Brothers trusted the opinion of their best actors?

 

"Fog..."

 

He huffed.

 

"Everyone... why don't, I say why don't you have a break? Chill out in the lobby or, on the stage or... something..."

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Bugs sighed, dangling his legs over the edge of the stage. He flopped backwards, staring up at the ceiling, at the rails holding up the heavy curtains like it was nothing. Then, something cut off the flood of light, and he blinked, startled.

 

"Comfortable down there?" Daffy asked.

 

Bugs shifted, sitting up straight and attempting to act natural as Daffy took a seat next to him.

 

"Heh... Surprisingly so. Reminds me of when I was a kid and we'd all be hanging out instead of actually rehearsing for anything..." Daffy smiled. "We spent a lot of time goofing off as kids, now that I think about it.. We were more like, just friends who hung out and also happened to perform plays every now and then."

 

Daffy looked at Bugs with genuine interest.

 

"Yeah? Sounds fun."

"It was... It still is. I mean- Agh, I'm sorry- I'm just rambling." Bugs fidgeted, as if he was going to stand up and walk away. "You don't wanna hear me talk about 'Take'- Uh, my- childhood stuff- Sorry-"

"No, No, it's fine. Don't worry." Daffy said, holding out a hand in reassurance.

 

Bugs relaxed back into his slouched position, smiling ever so slightly. He tended to ramble- he always had. Especially around people he-

 

_"Mon amooouurrr~!_   Let us go to the balcony seats and gaze upon this lovely theatre together!" Pepe exclaimed in a sing song voice, loud enough to echo through the theatre.

"Can you leave me alone for _five minutes?"_ Came Sylvester's exasperated reply.

"Oh, I am deeply sorry! Perhaps I misspoke! The theatre is not nearly as lovely as you!"

_**"Ugh!"** _

 

 

Bugs and Daffy stayed still, biting their tongues, trying to stifle their laughter.

 

"That's why they tell you not to talk backstage. Sound carries really badly in a theatre." said Bugs through gritted teeth.

"Even in one this huge?"

"..I guess Pepe's just that loud..." Bugs winced, prompting a bout of laughter. He let a chuckle escape his own mouth, relaxing his shoulders and leaning back on his hands. "But being loud really pays off when you're an actor. When the people in charge of tech actually need to turn your microphone _down,_ that's when you know you've got a strong voice."

Daffy blinked.

"I guess you're right. Never really thought of it like that..."

"Did you do any acting before you auditioned with us, Daffy?" Bugs asked, cocking his head innocently.

"Yeah, I, uh... I did a bit." Daffy frowned, memories of McKimson Arts flooding back into his mind. Remembering the expression on his director's face... he couldn't stop from clenching his fists.

"What happened..?" Bugs furrowed his brow, noticing Daffy's change in tone.

"I..." Daffy relaxed his hands, taking a breath. "I quit. Gotta give my full attention to this showcase now, right?"

 

Bugs giggled, shaking his head.

 

Through the opened set of red doors, you could see right across the lobby and out through the windows into the street. Bugs looked at the trees lining the road, their golden brown leaves falling methodically to the floor, only to be whisked away by a flurry of wind.

 

"I love this time of year. There's something about it."

"Hmm.." Daffy had never really stopped to think about which season was his favourite.

"The smell in the air, the temperature... It makes you just wanna wrap up in a scarf and walk through the leaves with a hot drink." Bugs sighed peacefully. "I love Autumn." And there came a sudden snicker from his left. Bugs turned, an eyebrow raised, and saw Daffy covering his mouth. "...What?"

 

"You said 'Autumn'." Daffy wheezed.

"...Yeah?"  
"It's _'Fall.'"_   He said matter-of-factly.

 

Bugs shook his head, standing up.

 

"No, it's _Autumn."_

"No, Bugs," Daffy insisted, standing up too. "It's _Fall."_

 

"Autumn"

"Fall."

"Autumn"

"Fall."

**"Autumn!"**

**"Fall!"**

 

And Bugs was silent for a second, before a grin tweaked the corner of his mouth.

 

"...Fall."

"Autumn!"

"Fall."  
"Autumn!"

"It's Fall, Daffy." Bugs insisted smugly, crossing his arms.

"The correct word is **_Autumn_**   and that's the last time I'll say it!"

 

"...Okay, have it your way. It's Autumn."

 

And Bugs smiled and began to walk away, hands behind his back, one eye open in anticipation of a response.

 

"...hey! You little- That's not fair!"

 

Bugs laughed, turning on his heels.

 

"What? You said it yourself, the correct word is 'Autumn'."

_"How many times have you used that trick on people?"_

"Oh, more than I can count." Bugs smirked. "I use it so much in my cartoons, y'know? It's just fun. Works every time, too."

"Oh..." Daffy swallowed. This was the first time he'd ever witnessed this 'signature trick'... He'd never seen _any_ of Bugs' cartoons... "Uh- Hey, y'know what? I'm gonna actually settle this. I'm gonna google it."

 

Daffy stammered out his excuse to change the topic as he moved towards a table just past the curtain. He was certain he'd left his phone there...

When he picked up one that he thought might be his, he strutted back to Bugs confidently, ready to unlock it and prove him wrong, when-

 

"Hey, that's mine!" Bugs said, reaching forwards. "You left yours on the _other_ side!"

"Oh-"

 

And Daffy was about to pass it to him- But something in him clicked. He smirked. And instead of handing the phone over- he raised his hand above his head, out of Bugs' reach.

 

"Hey, come on!" Bugs pouted. "That's not fair!"

"This is payback."

_"For what?"_   Bugs whined, hopping up and down, trying desperately to reach.

"For tricking me. Admit that the right word is 'Fall'."

"Not gonna happen, Duck." Bugs grumbled, but it wasn't spiteful- he was smiling.

 

They were like kids, teasing each other and goofing around. They just seemed to... match each other.

And Daffy found it amusing that he was capable of holding something out of the reach of the world's heart-throb, making him laugh hysterically, just by being taller than him.

 

**Was this... _really_   how he'd act with someone he didn't like..?**

 

The thought made Daffy lose concentration, and when Bugs lunged for his phone again, the two of them lost their balance, falling to the floor in a frazzled heap. They lay there laughing for a moment or two, as if the rest of the world around them didn't exist. But when they stopped and realised the position they were in, they cleared their throats nervously, and Bugs reached for his phone before moving away.

 

"I still say it's Autumn." He said, standing up.

 

Daffy huffed, propping himself up off the floor.

 

_'Damn... does every other interaction with this guy_ **have** _to be cliche?'_ He thought.

 

 

 But Daffy didn't get a chance to say anything, as Pepe Le Pew dashed dramatically out of the curtain, as if he had been waiting in the wings for his cue.

 

 

**"Bugs! This is not fair! Why do _you_ get to have a Fall romance and I do not?!" **He whined.

 

"Told ya." Daffy smirked- But then... hang on-

"-Wait, _what-?"_  The pair of them exclaimed, but before either could properly reply, Pepe gripped Bugs' shoulders, pulling a distraught face.

"Why do _you_  get all the luck?" And Pepe gestured behind him, at a grimacing Sylvester. "I can barely even get this wonderful creature to _glance_ at me!"

 

By this time, other people had started to gather, drawn to the stage by the commotion. Sylvester stalked over to Pepe, getting right in his face.

 

_"I have a name!"_ He hissed. And it was the first time Pepe had ever been uncomfortable being this close to him. He felt sweat beading on his forehead.

"Oui, oui, of course you do! Um..."

"You can't even remember what it is, can you?" Sylvester seethed, pulling back and crossing his arms.

"Mon cher, I-"

 

Then, there came a scoff.

 

"And you call yourself a hopeless romantic. Just _hopeless_ is more accurate.." Speedy jeered.

"You h-h-haven't had a date in years.." Porky replied quietly. Speedy felt his face grow hot, and he turned around, viciously embarrassed.

"And you _have??"_

"I'm an a-a-acquired taste!" Porky insisted.

 

 

"Guys, _what_ is going on in here?" Foghorn asked, walking to the stage purposefully, but no one even stopped to realise he was there.

"Goodness now, everyone stop arguing." Granny said, her tone calm and non-confrontational. But she just _couldn't_   be heard; the bickering had grown too loud.

 

"You can't just expect someone to be okay with that! You have serious issues with boundaries! Ever heard of personal space?!" Pepe was leaning back sheepishly as Sylvester yelled right in his face, standing on his tiptoes.

 

And as Sylvester waited for a reply, Pepe's face began to grow white from fear... he frowned, he shrunk into his own shoulders... And...

 

"Aw, Pepe, **_why?"_**

****

...There was suddenly a horrendous smell.

 

"You have my deepest apologies..." Pepe murmured, his head drooping.

 

Everyone covered their noses, and Sylvester took a step back.

 

"Oh, that's right.. You're a skunk, aren't you?" 

"I normally have it under my best control!" Pepe insisted. "..That only happens when I'm really nervous..."

 

Taz winced, taking a step back, and felt something collide with him harshly.

 

"Oww! Watch where you're going, Furball!" Tweety exclaimed, holding his head.

"Whooo youuu callin a furball, _Featherweight?"_ Taz growled in retaliation.

"Goodness, I don't think I can deal with this much longer!" Granny huffed.

"Why does this have to happen..?" Marvin grimaced.

"Guys, please-" Bugs held out his hands in an attempt to control things, but it was no use. The noise, the commotion, the chaos- it just got louder and louder, until-

 

 

**_"OKAY! ALL OF YOU! HANDS ON HEADS! FINGERS ON LIPS!"_** Foghorn bellowed, steam billowing from the top of his head, echoes of an exhausted teacher ringing in everyone's ears. And everyone complied, dropping what they were doing and standing like scorned school children, wide-eyed and silent. The silence was almost deafening; you could've heard a pin drop. Foghorn sighed, crossing his arms firmly. "Thank you! Now I know, I say I know we've all been stressed. Tensions are high, but this? This doesn't have to happen! And in all my years of experience, I've learn't, I say I've learnt there's only _one_  solution for this kind of thing."

 

_'Aw, jeez...'_

 

Everyone's stomachs dropped. What would the repercussions be for something like this..?

 

 

"I'm gonna send you all home... **and I expect all of you back here at 8 PM, _for a sleepover!"_**

 

 

And you've never seen a group of people go from petrified to utterly confused so quickly.

 

 

_"What?"_

 

"Fog.. Seriously..?" Bugs asked, his eyebrow raised.

 

**"It's what I did for you guys when you'd argue as kids."**

 

 

 

And with that, everyone was sent home, still puzzled and refusing to look at each other, expected back at the theatre in a few hours with pillows and pyjamas...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOO this chapter's pretty long. I hope you enjoyed it!  
> ..Please can you tell me what you think in the comments? Thank you!! ♡
> 
> And hey, I managed to work in an adapted version of the "Duck Season/Rabbit Season" joke! I'm pretty proud of it tbh (^∇^)


	12. an important author's note

I think I'm going to delete this fic. Don't worry, i'll probably post it again at some point, on a different account.

 

I know this isn't what you wanted or expected. I'm really sorry, but my mental health has been horrible, and I'm prioritising that.

 

To everyone who's read this fic and enjoyed it, thank you. I'm glad I could make you smile, even when I couldn't do the same for myself.


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